The Latvian National Team fell 0-1 to the U.S. Men’s National Team in a football (soccer) friendly game May 28 in East Hartford, Conn.

The U.S. team’s goal came in the 43rd minute of the first half when Brian McBride, assisted by Steve Cherundolo, scored from six yards out, getting the ball past Latvia goalie Aleksandrs Koļinko, according to the Web site for U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian team appeared in much better form during the second half than in the first, Coach Jurijs Andrejevs said.

“In all the second half showed quality football,” he said in a statement released by the Latvian Football Federation. “If we would have realized one of our goal attempts, then the game would have been ideal.”

The U.S. team got eight shots on goal, but Latvia had three.

Latvian players Genādijs Soloņicins, Andrejs Prohorenkovs and Juris Laizāns each was booked with a yellow card, while the U.S. squad earned none.

A total of 24,636 people attended the game, including a contingent of Latvian fans, according to the LFF and U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian National Team’s next friendly match is against Russia on Aug. 16, according to the LFF. The U.S. team, meanwhile, heads June 1 to the World Cup in Germany.

(UPDATED 29 MAY 2006)