Donovan steals the show against Ecuador
AP
TAMPA, Fla - Newly-wed Landon Donovan thinks he finally understands what it takes to be a leader on the U.S. soccer team.
'I got married this offseason and that's helped me grow up,' the 25-year-old forward said Sunday after scoring three goals to lead the Americans over Ecuador 3-1 in an exhibition game Sunday.
'I'm now embracing a leadership role. I used to say: `I'd love to be a leader. I want to be a leader.' But it's not good enough to say it. You have to show it.'
And that's exactly what Donovan did in his first game as U.S. captain since last May 28. Following an 18-game, 1½-year scoreless streak in international play, he has five goals in three matches this year, helping the Americans to a 3-0 record.
Sunday's hat trick was the 10th in U.S. history and moved Donovan into a second-place tie with Brian McBride on the American scoring list with 30 goals, four behind Eric Wynalda.
'Throughout this camp, you could tell that he had really stepped things up in terms of his role in our team. He was our captain today. And more than that, he really came through in terms of great goals,' interim coach Bob Bradley said. 'I thought that the group as a whole put in a very good effort. Ecuador, as we know from last summer, is a very, very talented team.'
Donovan caught Ecuador by surprise when he scored on a 30-yard kick just 45 seconds in. He snapped a 1-1 tie in the 66th minute and tallied his third against goalkeeper Rorys Aragon less than a minute later.
Felipe Caicedo scored in the 11th minute for Ecuador, whose roster featured 11 players from the team that was eliminated by England in the second round of last year's World Cup. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard settled after the early score and finished with three saves.
'I think today helped us prepare for Copa America because of the style of Ecuador -- the way some of the individuals play -- fit very well,' Bradley said. 'The more times we can give our players the opportunity to play in these kind of games, the better we will become.'
The match, played before a crowd of 31,547 at Raymond James Stadium, was the first of two exhibitions in a four-day span that concludes Wednesday with a game against Guatemala at Frisco, Texas.
Wearing their new blue pinstriped jerseys, most of the top American players were together for the first time since last year's World Cup, where the U.S. team went 0-2-1 and was eliminated in the first round.
'At the end of last year, after the World Cup -- as bad as that was for me personally -- I feel like I learned a lot from it, and I think I grew up a lot,' Donovan said.
The hat trick was Donovan's second in international competition. The 25-year-old forward scored four goals against Cuba on July 19, 2003, during the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Bradley, who remained unbeaten since he was hired as interim coach in December, said Donovan has been very focused since showing up a few days late for the national team's preseason camp because he was on his honeymoon.
'The first camp of the year is a tough one,' Bradley said, noting conditioning was the top priority during the team's initial gathering, whereas last week's camp in nearby Bradenton gave the coach an opportunity to concentrate on the team's play.
'He felt he came into this camp just fitter, with things behind him, and you could tell his focus was excellent.'
