USA thwart Uruguay in friendly draw

The United States halted their two-game losing streak after Jordan Morris's second-half goal was enough to secure a 1-1 draw with Uruguay in a friendly international in St.Louis.

Gregg Berhalter's side had been looking to bounce back after being comprehensively outplayed in a 3-0 loss to Mexico in New Jersey last Friday.

However the USA struggled to make much an impression against an under-strength Uruguay in humid conditions on Tuesday at Busch Stadium, better known as the home of baseball's St.Louis Cardinals.

Uruguay, missing star strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, were barely troubled by the USA in the first half.

The South Americans should have taken the lead after only six minutes when Mexico-based striker Jonathan Rodriguez burst into the area only to scuff his attempted finish.

Cristian Roldan missed a chance to equaliser for the USA on 10 minutes, but his downward header was well saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Tyler Boyd then squandered an even better chance for the hosts, somehow scooping over from point blank range after Morris had beaten Martin Caceres down the left before delivering a perfect cross into the area.

The Americans had a let off moments later when goalkeeper Brad Guzan spilled a routine cross and needed a desperate block from Fulham's Tim Ream to deny Matias Vecino's effort.

The USA might have had a penalty on the stroke of halftime when a cross struck the raised arm of Jose Gimenez in the area, but appeals for a spotkick were waved away.

Uruguay then took the lead five minutes after the restart, when a lightning counter-attack culminated with Los Angeles FC star Brian Rodriguez turning Aaron Long inside out before rifling home past Guzan.

The USA kept plugging away in search of an equaliser and finally got their reward in the 79th minute, when Nick Lima's bizarre deflected cross fell into the path of Morris at the farpost who steered the ball home with his chest.