Ricardo Clark gets 1st US start since World Cup

Ricardo Clark gets 1st US start since World Cup

Published Jan. 26, 2012 2:24 a.m. ET

Ricardo Clark earned his first U.S. national team start in 19 months for Wednesday night's exhibition game at Panama after scoring in stoppage time against Venezuela last weekend.

Clark, who replaced Jeff Larentowicz in the midfield, had not started for the Americans since June 26, 2010, when he was stripped of the ball leading to Ghana's opening goal in the 2-1 overtime loss that eliminated the U.S. from the World Cup. He was replaced that night in the 31st minute.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann made four changes to his starting lineup, also inserting goalkeeper Nick Rimando, left back Zack Loyd and forward Chris Wondolowski in place of Bill Hamid, Heath Pearce and Benny Feilhaber.

Rimando, Loyd and Wondolowski started for the first time since the 1-1 tie against Chile on Jan. 22 last year.

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Pearce, Larentowicz and Feilhaber were joined on the bench by goalkeeper Sean Johnson, defender Jeff Parke, midfielder Brad Evans and forward C.J. Sapong.

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