BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - The United States stunned top-ranked Spain, 2-0, yesterday on goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey to advance to the Confederations Cup final with one of America's biggest wins ever in soccer.

Altidore scored in the 27th minute and Dempsey added a goal in the 74th as the U.S. became the first team to defeat Spain since Romania did it in November 2006.

The chances of such a U.S. victory seemed slim just a few days ago. The 14th-ranked Americans lost their first two games in the Confederations Cup, an eight-nation World Cup warm-up, and were on the verge of elimination.

"I can't explain it any more than you can," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it."

The U.S. will play the winner of today's Brazil-South Africa game on Sunday in their first-ever men's final in a FIFA competition.

"It's exciting, a great team effort. To beat an amazing team like Spain and make the final - it's big," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said.

The U.S. has three full days to prepare for the final. It was thoroughly outplayed by Brazil in a 3-0 first-round meeting.

"We'll take a few hours to regroup, but we'll be ready," Bradley said.

Spain, the European champion, had set an international record with 15 straight victories and had tied Brazil's record unbeaten streak of 35 games from December 1993 to January 1996.

"We're not used to losing," Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said. "We lacked a little of our usual touch. We played a very difficult rival who took us head on."

Spain outshot the United States, 29-9, but Howard came up with several big saves.

Altidore got the first goal when he outmuscled Joan Capdevila, his teammate on Spanish first-division squad Villarreal, to beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Dempsey scored when he pounced on Landon Donovan's cross, which had bounced off Gerard Pique and the foot of Sergio Ramos.

Midfielder Michael Bradley, son of the coach, will miss the final. He received a red card for a late sliding tackle in the 87th minute, the third U.S. ejection of the tournament.

The United States had been 1-7-1 against top-ranked teams, beating Brazil in the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup and tying Argentina last summer in an exhibition at Giants Stadium.

For the U.S., longtime soccer outsiders, this ranked with the upset of Brazil as one of its top wins, below victories over England in the 1950 World Cup, Portugal and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup, and Colombia in the 1994 World Cup.

The Americans were boosted by the return of captain Carlos Bocanegra, who had been sidelined since injuring a hamstring during a World Cup qualifier on June 6.

The United States had lost its three previous matches against Spain, including a 1-0 defeat in an exhibition on June 4 last year.

Altidore scored after Dempsey lifted the ball over Pique as Xabi Alonso tried to come in. The ball deflected to the 19-year-old forward, who shot from 18 yards as Carles Puyol attempted to close. The shot went off Casillas' right arm.

Altidore was so excited he took off his jersey as he ran toward the stands in celebration, drawing a yellow card.

It was the first goal against Spain in 451 minutes and just the third goal the Spaniards allowed in 17 games dating to last summer's European Championship.