updated 7:12 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2008

NEW YORK - Landon Donovan’s next international goal will set the U.S. national team scoring record. Or will it?

FIFA, soccer’s governing body, has not recognized the Americans’ 3-1 victory over Denmark on Jan. 20 last year as a full “A” international. Donovan converted a penalty kick in the 44th minute of the game.

If that penalty kick counts, Donovan has 34 international goals, tied with Eric Wynalda for the career scoring mark.

The U.S. Soccer Federation has sent documents to FIFA and continues to the count the game in its official records.

“It is only matter of time before FIFA makes this clerical adjustment,” spokesman Jim Moorhouse said Thursday.

When initially contacted by The Associated Press in August, FIFA responded: “The Danish FA confirmed in January that this match was not played by their official ‘A’ team. Therefore we did not register it.”

The USSF then sent FIFA the contract for the exhibition match, which the USSF said included a provision stating that both sides agreed it would be counted as a full international.

FIFA, according to the USSF, has now asked the Danish Federation to respond to the USSF request to register the game.

The Americans play their first match of 2008 on Saturday against Sweden at Carson, Calif. If the match against Denmark counts, it will be the 500th game played by the U.S. team.

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