SANTANDER, SPAIN - The US Men's National Team suffered its second defeat in a week, going down more gently this time in a 1-0 to Spain in Santander.

In the second of the US' three big-name clashes, Bob Bradley's men contained the fourth-ranked nation in the world for almost 80 minutes before Barcelona midfielder Xavi unexpectedly skipped through the US defense to side-foot past Brad Guzan.

While the US rarely threatened their opponents' goal, the final score was a little harsh after the States had contained Spain for most of the first half and soaked up all but one of their second half attacks.

On a drizzly night on Spain's northern coast, the US took the field at Santander's intimate El Sardinero stadium desperate to improve on last week's 2-0 defeat to England at Wembley.

Bob Bradley made three changes to the eleven from last week, inserting Eddie Lewis in DaMarcus Beasley's role on the left, Maurice Edu in place of Ricardo Clark in the middle and Freddy Adu slotting in as support striker to Eddie Johnson.

Facing them were a nearly full strength Spanish selección in their final warm-up before their Euro 2008 campaign begins next week, but for 45 minutes, the US blunted their sharpness and sent the home team into the dressing rooms amid loud jeers.

It began encouragingly for the States. Michael Bradley enjoyed room in front of the US backline to pull the strings, while Freddy Adu and Eddie Johnson both wet their cleats with some dribbling time.

But Spain were spreading the ball around more slickly and carved out the first clear chance of the night in the ninth minute. Right back Sergio Ramos curled over a cross and Xavi, who had worryingly pulled away from Carlos Bocanegra, flicked a header goalward that Tim Howard stretched to catch.

Fernando Torres broke through the American offside line two minutes later and was only stopped by a fine saving tackle from Bradley.

By the quarter hour mark, Spain were beginning to move through the gears and gained territory, forcing the US into some nervous clearances.

Eddie Lewis was proving his worth in midfield at 34 years, however, making some useful thefts from Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas.

The US at last made inroads in the 22nd minute when Adu broke down the left and drove a dangerous ball back across the area, unfortunately too far from any white shirts.

A minute later, his through ball found the streaking Johnson, but the Fulham striker was a yard offside as he chipped the ball over Iker Casillas and into the net.

Spain nipped the American mini-offensive in the bud when Torres drew a save from Howard moments later, the Liverpool striker forcing the Everton goalkeeper down low to his right.

As the half wore on, Spain remained contained, while the US enjoyed some rays of light upfield.

The US had still to engage Casillas, but won a chance from a set piece in the 33rd after Carlos Puyol had clumsily fouled Adu 25 from goal. Alas, Lewis' left-foot curler was just too high and the Spanish regrouped.

Frustrated by their team's inability to find a killer final ball, Alonso and Xavi both took pot-shots from distance in the 39th minute, charged down by Bradley and Oguchi Onyewu, respectively.

Seconds later, the best US moment yet arrived when Johnson sprinted onto a long pass from Adu, outpaced Puyol and from a tight angle forced Casillas to save with his legs at his near post.

Alonso and Torres were withdrawn at the interval, while Bradley made three switches, replacing Howard with Guzan, Steve Cherundolo with Frankie Hejduk and Adu with DaMarcus Beasley, allowing Clint Dempsey to partner Johnson in a more linear 4-4-2.

Spain began the second half the brighter, with Daniel Guiza providing more of an awkward physical presence up front than Torres for the US to deal with.

Two minutes into the restart, the Real Mallorca forward had a shot diverted for a corner by Bocanegra, but the US soon replied when Johnson nodded a Lewis cross a yard wide in the 49th.

The hour arrived with Carlos Marchena sending a long-range effort into orbit, an effort met with predictable derision from the 14,232 present. But Spain's ability to strike back unexpectedly was proved again in the 62nd when Xavi curled a free kick onto the crossbar from 25 yards.

There followed another lull in the tempo, before Xavi and Fabregas combined to exploit the holes suddenly springing up in the US half, before the Arsenal man laid it wide for Marcos Senna to strike the foot of the near post.

Coach Bradley then made a fourth switch, pushing Beasley to the left wing, Dempsey to the right and inserting Josh Wolff in behind Johnson.

The States were clearly tiring and had to thank Guzan for being quick to dive stop Xavi's 20 yard effort in the 74th, which capped a buccaneering surge by Ramos from right back.

Michael Bradley picked up the only caution of the night for tugging back Fabregas in the 76th, before three minutes later, Spain injected some life into a friendly which had seemed to be slumbering towards a 0-0 conclusion.

Xavi's clever back heel 20 yards out fooled Bradley, and the Barcelona midfielder, a terrier all night, accelerated past a tiring Onyewu and rode Hejduk's challenge before placing an unerring shot into the bottom corner.

Guzan punched away Senna's long-range effort three minutes later as the Spanish reacted to the goal by growing in confidence, while the US toiled in their wake.

With no more attacking options on the bench, Bradley subbed the exhausted Dempsey for Pablo Mastroeni in the 86th, pushing Maurice Edu wide right.

Senna was still full of beans and flashed a 25-yard drive wide of Guzan's goal with a minute to play.

Yet moments later, the US might still have leveled. Hejduk sent over a cross from the right for Bradley - who initially seemed to be offside yet was not - to skew a header well clear of goal, leaving Carlos Marchena and Puyol to rant foolishly against the Albanian linesman.

Deep into the three added minutes, the States again almost conjured up an equalizer. Wolff played Johnson through and the Fulham striker managed to hold off Puyol's very close attentions to fire off a shot, which Casillas was well-placed to stop.

Full time arrived with some boos among the cheers in El Sardinero, while the US traipsed off beaten again and exhausted, but having come close to finishing level against a top-drawer soccer nation.

The US play Argentina at Giants Stadium on Sunday at 7:30 pm ET.

ASD's Three Stars
#1 Xavi
#2 Cesc Fabregas
#3 Eddie Johnson

Scoring
SPA - Xavi 79'

Line-ups
SPA - Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Carlos Marchena, Carlos Puyol, Joan Capdevila (Fernando Navarro 53'), Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso (Marcos Senna 45'), Santiago Cazorla, David Silva (Ruben de la Red 58'), Cesc Fabregas (Alvaro Arbeloa 84'), Fernando Torres (David Guiza 45')

USA - Tim Howard (Brad Guzan 45'); Steve Cherundolo (Frankie Hejduk 45'), Heath Pearce, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Eddie Lewis (Josh Wolff 70'), Clint Dempsey (Pablo Mastroeni 86'), Freddy Adu (DaMarcus Beasley 45'), Eddie Johnson