Published 3/25/2007 12:28:43 PM by AP from Tampa, Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Landon Donovan scored in the opening minute, then added two more goals for the 10th hat trick in U.S. national team history and led the Americans over Ecuador 3-1 in an exhibition game on Sunday.


Donovan, selected as captain for the first time under interim coach Bob Bradley, moved into a second-place tie with Brian McBride on the American scoring list with 30 goals, four behind Eric Wynalda. Following an 18-game, 1 1/2-year scoreless streak in international play, Donovan has five goals in three matches this year, helping the Americans to a 3-0 record.

Donovan caught Ecuador by surprise when he scored on a 30-yard kick just 45 seconds in. He snapped a 1-1 tie in the 66th minute and tallied his third against goalkeeper Rorys Aragon less than a minute later.

Felipe Caidedo scored Ecuador's lone goal in the 11th minute.

The game, played before a crowd of 31,547 at Raymond James Stadium, was the first of two exhibitions in a four-day span that concludes Wednesday with a match against Guatemala at Frisco, Texas.

Wearing their new blue pinstriped jerseys, most of the top American players were together for the first time since last year's World Cup, where the U.S. team went 0-2-1 and was eliminated in the first round.

The hat trick was Donovan's second in international competition. The 25-year-old forward scored four goals against Cuba on July 19, 2003, during the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

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