The United States recorded its greatest soccer victory in over half a century when they upset fancied Portugal 3-2 in their World Cup opening group D clash yesterday.

The US, who lost all of their group matches at the last tournament in 1998, took a surprise 3-0 lead after just 36 minutes with goals from midfielders John O'Brien and Landon Donovan and forward Brian McBride.

"We put the pressure on and we took advantage of our chances," McBride said. "The second half was probably (a case of) stand back a little bit, but we hunkered down and held them off."

The Portuguese, appearing at their first finals since 1986, pulled a goal back just before the interval

from defender Beto Severo. After

piling on the pressure in the second half, an own goal from U.S.

defender Jeff Agoos put the

Portuguese within striking range.

But they failed to stop the huge

shock, which rivalled the 1-0 defeat of England by the United States in the 1950 tournament.

The U.S. last won a game at the finals in 1994 on their home soil when they beat Colombia 2-1 in a group game and reached the second round before going out to Brazil. They have not scored three goals in one match at the tournament since 1930.

Portugal, semi-finalists at Euro 2000, were expected to make a

serious challenge after scoring more goals than any other European nation in the qualifying competition.

But the United States, 300-1 outsiders to win the tournament compared to Portugal's 12-1, caught them cold with an early goal in the fourth minute.

O'Brien pounced at the post to

score from close range at a corner after Portugal goalkeeper Vitor Baia failed to hold a glancing header from McBride as he dived to his left.

The Portuguese showed nerves in their approach play. After they gave the ball away deep in their own half, the United States went 2-0 up in the 29th minute.

A speculative cross from the right from midfielder Donovan took an unfortunate deflection off Jorge Costa, leaving Baia completely wrong-footed and unable to stop the ball sneaking past the post.

Portugal seemed to lose all their composure. The Americans went 30 ahead just seven minutes later when McBride scored with a superb diving head after a cross from the

right from Tony Sanneh.

Luis Figo, their 2001 world player of the year, worked hard down the left flank after starting the match on the right.

The Portuguese had virtually all of the game in the second half and narrowed the gap to 3-2 when Agoos put the ball in his own net after a cross from Pauleta.

But the Americans managed to hang on desperately. The U.S. team's next game is against cohosts South Korea on June 10.

"They are a very very good team so we have to come out prepared," McBride said.

South Korea defeated Poland 20 in their opening match on Tuesday, notching up their first World Cup finals victory on their sixth

appearance in the knock-out stage of the tournament.

TEAMS

USA: Friedel, Mastroeni, Sanneh, Pope (Llamosa 80), Agoos, O'Brien, Hejduk, Beasley, McBride, Donovan (Moore 75), Stewart (Jones 45).

Booked: Beasley.

Goals: O'Brien 4, Costa 29 (own goal), McBride 36.

Portugal: Baia, Costa (Andrade

73), Couto, Beto, Jorge (Bento 69), Rui Costa (Nuno Gomes 79), Petit, Sergio Conceicao, Figo, Pauleta, Pinto.

Booked: Beto, Petit.

Goals: Beto 40, Agoos 71 (own goal).

Attendance: 37,306

Referee: B Moreno (Ecuador).