Landon Donovan's 76th-minute penalty kick answered a first-half spot kick by Denmark as the U.S. national team settled for a 1-1 tie Sunday afternoon before 10,461 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Donovan fired inside the right post after Mexican referee Antonio Rodriguez Mendoza whistled Danish defender Per Nielsen for a hand ball nobody else — on or off the field — claimed to have seen.

Thomas Roll-Larsen had fired the Danes ahead in the 28th minute after Rodriguez Mendoza ruled that U.S. captain Eddie Pope had held onto a Danish attacker during a corner kick.

Rodriguez Mendoza had halted proceedings just before the corner kick to warn U.S. defender Chris Albright about tugging jerseys. Goalkeeper Jonny Walker, making his U.S. debut, reported that the referee warned that he would award a penalty kick if the shirt-tugging continued.

The Americans, making their HDC debut, struggled to break down the well-organized Danes through the first half-hour or so, relying unsuccessfully on long balls to forwards Landon Donovan and Ante Razov to create opportunities.

The U.S. team began connecting late in the first half, and a more aggressive demeanor — along with strong performances on the left flank from midfielder DaMarcus Beasley and defender Bobby Convey — enabled the Yanks to take charge the final 45 minutes.

Donovan, who scored his 15th international goal, created plenty of havoc but did not finish well. He pushed the ball too far in front of him when a poor clearance left him an open path to the goal in the 13th minute, hit the left post after a feed from Beasley in the 70th, then fired over the crossbar after a giveaway by Danish goalkeeper Peter Skov-Jensen in the 74th.

The Americans also missed on superb second-half chances by Beasley, Convey and Chris Klein, the latter two requiring outstanding Skov-Jensen saves.

Denmark played the final nine minutes, including stoppage time, with only 10 players after Nikolai Stokholm was sent off when he received his second yellow card.

The Danish squad, coached by Morten Olsen, featured only one regular national-teamer, captain Morten Wieghorst. All the players are from the Danish Superligaen.

The U.S. team next plays on Feb. 18, when it takes on the Netherlands at Amsterdam Arena. The Danes meet Salvadoran club Aguila on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Aguila lost, 2-1, in an exhibition Friday night against the U.S. under-23 team, which featured Donovan, Beasley and Convey.

Jan. 18 at Carson, Calif.

United States 1 Denmark 1. Goals: Donovan pen. 76; Roll-Morton pen. 28.

United States — Walker; Albright (Hejduk, 79), Pope, Garcia, Convey; Ralston (Klein, 62), Mulrooney (Zavagnin, 71), Armas (Wolyniec, 88), Beasley; Donovan, Razov (Wolff, 62).

Denmark — Skov-Jensen; Vinzents, Nielsen, Albrechtsen (Svensson, 58), Sennels; Bisgaard (Kristiansen, 79), Wieghorst (Rasmussen, 74), Retov (Stokholm, 47+), Roll-Larsen; Silberbauer (Hojer, 64), Bechmann (Borg, 58).

Yellow cards: U.S. — Pope 26; Denmark — Albrechtsen 7, Bechmann 32, Stokholm 46, 84, Vinzents 75, Nielsen 75.

Red card: Denmark — Stokholm 84.

Att.: 10,461.