ATHENS, Greece — Cael Sanderson finally beat a wrestler who has frustrated him for years, leaving him one victory from the Olympic gold medal he has long seemed capable of winning.

The surprise — make that two surprises — is two Americans who lack Sanderson’s portfolio, Stephen Abas and Jamill Kelly, also are going for gold medals Saturday.

With three other wrestlers still in contention, the U.S. freestyle wrestlers seem likely to top the 2000 Sydney production of one gold medal — that came via a drug disqualification — one silver and two bronzes.

Sanderson held off former world champion Yoel Romero of Cuba 3-2 at 185 pounds (84kg) – his first victory in three career matches against Romero.

Afterward, Romero gave him a respectful kiss on the cheek, just as he did when he beat Sanderson in the 2003 Titan Games. He did it so quickly, Sanderson didn’t have a chance to duck away.

“As long as he does it when I win, too,” said Sanderson, who at Iowa State became the only four-time unbeaten champion in NCAA history.

Kelly, who sneaked through his semifinal, meets three-time world champion Elbrus Tedeyev of Ukraine in the 145 pounds (66kg) final. Tedeyev won a bronze at Atlanta in 1996.

Abas beat Japan’s Chikara Tanabe 3-0 to reach the 121 pounds (55kg) final against Russia’s Mavlet Batirov, a 7-1 winner over Amiran Karntanov of Greece. Batirov, 20, was only 14th in his first world championships last year.

Sanderson didn’t get his anticipated matchup with world champion Sazhid Sazhidov of Russia in a rematch of last year’s world finals. Instead, Sanderson gets 2000 Sydney silver medalist Moon Eui-jae, who worked over Sazhidov 10-2 in the other semifinal.

Sanderson held off the strong, quick Romero early, when Romero is usually at his best, then began attacking with single-leg takedowns.

“I waited a while before I started taking my shots,” Sanderson said. “He’s real strong, and you don’t want to go after him too early.”

Kelly feared he was out when, after turning Makhach Murtazaliev of Russia with a gut wrench for what appeared to be the two winning points in overtime, referee Borje Schoug signaled two points for each wrestler.

Then it got worse for Kelly — a matside replay judge gave two points to Murtazaliev, and Schoug motioned Kelly to the middle of the mat so he could raise Murtazaliev’s hand. But the tournament’s head official stepped in to review the replay, and Kelly was given the two points and the 3-1 victory.

Rick Tucci, an American referee who is officiating in Athens, was among those urging the second replay.

“We were scrambling out of bounds and he wasn’t trying to score … so I decided to go for it,” Kelly said. “It was a sixth-grade move, but sometimes it works against the best of them.”

It was the first loss in major international competition for Murtazaliev, 20, the reigning European champion and world junior champion – and the first major victory for Kelly, who was 28th in the world last year.

Abas was a 3-1 winner Saturday over Japan’s Chikara Tanabe after beating world No. 2 Ghenadie Tulbea of Moldova, 6-1, and 2002 world champion Rene Montero of Cuba, 4-3, just to get out of his pool.

“Just to get this far is a great accomplishment,” said Abas, a three-time NCAA champion at Fresno State. “But I’m not planning on stopping here.”

Americans Joe Williams (163 pounds, 74kg) and Daniel Cormier (2111/2 pounds, 96kg), debuted Saturday with victories, but Eric Guerrero lost 3-1 in overtime to Mongolia’s Oyunbileg Purevbattar at 132 pounds (60kg). Cormier can move into the semifinals with one more victory.