Worldcup 1998 : Friendly - United-States 2 / Paraguay 2, March 14, 1998.

UNITED-STATES 2 / PARAGUAY 2, March 14, 1998.

Tied to a nasty streak
Arce saves Paraguay as U.S. winless skid reaches 4

SAN DIEGO March 14, 98 (AP).

Paraguay extended the United States' winless streak to four games Saturday when Francisco Arce scored in the 74th minute for a 2-2 draw in an international friendly between the two World Cup-bound squads.

That countered a spectacular goal by Marcelo Balboa on a diving header to give the United States a 2-1 edge five minutes into the second half. As he went to the ground, Balboa made the shot with his head nearly touching the field by redirecting a pass from Alexi Lalas untouched into the net.

Chad Deering earlier scored the first U.S. goal in four games, when he scored in the 21st minute for a 1-1 draw.

The Amerians had gone without a goal since February 10, when they recorded their 1-0 triumph over defending World Cup champion Brazil in Los Angeles. That game also culminated a six-game winning streak, the longest in U.S. history.

Balboa also moved into third place on the all-time international caps list, passing English goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his 126th international appearance. A defender, he recorded his 13th goal in that span.

Only Majed Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (147) and Thomas Ravelli of Sweden (143) have more caps than Balboa.

Deering also scored on a header in front of the goal, off a corner kick by Eric Wynalda, another former San Diego State player. It was the first goal in six international appearances for Deering, a candidate to win one of the final spots on the U.S. World Cup roster.

The United States tied the score just six minutes after the opening score by Denis Caniza with an assist by Miguel Benitez. Caniza converted an open shot on goal after taking the pass from Benitez, who evaded two defenders near the right of the goal.

Paraguay couldn't capitalize in the ninth minute, when U.S. goalkeeper Juergen Sommer was caught away from the net. Balboa prevented a goal by clearing a shot off the line by Richart Baez.

Sommer, playing his eighth international game, served as the No. 3 goalkeeper for the United States in the 1994 World Cup.

The U.S. went until the last 14 minutes without using Preki Radosavljevic, often a reserve, who had figured in seven of the previous 11 U.S. scores. In that stretch, he had three goals, three second assists and a foul he drew for a penalty kick.

Teams :
United States:
Juergen Sommer; Mike Burns, Alexi Lalas, Marcelo Balboa, Greg Vanney; Frankie Hejduk, Mike Sorber (Joe-Max Moore, 46th minute), Chad Deering, Cobi Jones; David Wagner (Brian Maisonneuve, 64th), Eric Wynalda (Preki Radosavljevic, 74th).
Paraguay:
Ruben Ruiz Diaz; Francisco Arce, Catalino Rivarola, Carlos Gamarra, Celso Ayala; Roberto Acuna, Julio Cesar Enciso, Edgar Aguilera (Julio Yegras, 56th), Denis Caniza; Richart Baez (Thomas Gonzalez, 14), Miguel Benitez (Carlos Santos, 88th). Referee: Leon Padro Borja, Mexico.