The United States finished second at the Vale do Tejo under-23 tournament in Portugal when it fell to the host country, 4-2, on penalty kicks Thursday in the final.
The game, played in front of a packed house of approximately 5,000 fans at the Municipal Stadium in Abrantes, ended in a 1-1 tie.
Nate Jaqua, taken by the Chicago Fire as the No. 3 draft pick in last week's MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Portland, scored in his second straight game, giving the Americans the lead in the 74th minute off midfielder Brian Carroll's corner kick. Portugal equalized just three minutes later when Joao Paulo beat D.J. Countess.
The U-23s will travel to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Feb. 21-March 2 to compete against MLS teams, as well as the U.S. Under-20s, as part of MLS's preseason. They will play in the 2003 Pan-American Games Aug. 1-17 in the Dominican Republic.
U.S. SOCCER: Vale de Tejo summaries
Jan. 21 in Almerim
USA 1 Russia 1 (USA wins 4-1 on penalties). Goals: Jaqua 67; Belozerov 55.
USA — Countess, Wingert, Gray, Stokes, Burciaga, Beckerman, Carroll, Trembly (Gregorio, 57), Pause, Jaqua, Eskandarian.
Russia — Kabanov, Shagaremftov, Kolodne, Gorme, Alarov, Belozerov, Trihonov, Smitnov, Mukin, Vinoradov, Khanblov.
Referee: Darko Ceferin (Slovakia).
Att.: 500.
Jan. 23 in Abrantes
Portugal 1 USA 1 (Portugal wins 4-2 on penalties). Goals: Joao Paulo 77; Jaqua 74.
Portugal — Miguel, Toni, Ricardo Silva (Ricardo Carvalho, 46), Rogerio Matias, Areias, Flavio Meireles, Fangueiro (Rui Miguel, 79), Silas (13-Miguel, 46), Castanheira (Rui Lima, 46), Ricardo Sousa, Joao Paulo.
USA — Countess, Wingert (S.Thompson, 77), Gray, Stokes, Burciaga, Beckerman, Carroll, Gregorio (Stammler, 58), Pause, Jaqua, Eskandarian.
Att.: 5,000.