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U.S. loses to Paraguay, 1-0, in soccer

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Having tied Argentina, 1-1, in New Jersey on Saturday, the U.S. national soccer team had been expected to achieve a little more against less-powerful Paraguay in Nashville on Tuesday.

Instead, it achieved a little less.

A goal by Oscar Cardozo off a corner kick by Hernan Perez that the American defense failed to clear gave the South Americans a 1-0 victory in front of an LP Field crowd of 29,059, a record for soccer in Tennessee.

Cardozo’s goal came in the 18th minute, and Paraguay was able to make the slender lead hold up for the remaining 72 minutes. On-target shots by Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones that were well saved by Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar were the extent of the American attack.

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The loss left the U.S. winless with an 0-1-2 record in 2011 as it prepares to play host to the Gold Cup, soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean championship, in June.

The U.S. is 2-2-2 all-time against Paraguay, dating to the 1930 World Cup. Paraguay is preparing for the Copa America, or South American championship, set for July 1-24 in Argentina.

The next scheduled match for the U.S. is against world and European champion Spain in Foxborough, Mass., on June 4, just days before it opens play in the June 5-25 Gold Cup.

grahame.jones@latimes.com

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