RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AP)

The United States secured an unlikely place in the Confederations Cup semi-finals by beating Egypt 3-0 yesterday.

The Americans had looked to be heading out of the tournament after losses to Italy and Brazil, but Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey scored in a vastly improved performance to edge the African champions for a place in the next round on goal difference.

With Brazil beating Italy 3-0 in the other Group B game, the United States will now play Spain in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

"All of the critics in America who said we were no good after losing to Italy and Brazil, let's see what they say now," Bradley said. "We had to play 90 of 180 minutes against two of the top five teams in the world with 10 men."

chaos

United States coach Bob Bradley turned things around with three changes to the team outclassed by Brazil 3-0, and Landon Donovan's willingness to attack down the left combined with Davies' pace returned the Egypt defence to the chaos it had experienced in its opening 4-3 loss to Brazil.

Only goalkeeper Essam El Hadary kept them in the game until two second-half goals, but the key player in Egypt's 1-0 win over Italy played a part in a mix up with two defenders that led to Davies' 21st-minute goal.

Bradley made it 2-0 in the 63rd with a low shot and Dempsey secured the most improbable of semi-final spots with a diving header eight minutes later.

The loss meant that Egypt, which had been on course for the semi-finals but resorted to untidy long passes during the game, finished last in the four-team group on goal difference.

"It is the first time for us we have seen this style of football," Egypt assistant coach Chawki Gharib said through a translator. The long balls were the result of pressure by the US team."

Egypt missed striker Mohamed Zidan because of a hamstring injury.