Tim Howard's Hot Model Friend -- Impressive Body Of Work

Good news ... we've ID'd the smokin' hot blonde chick who partied with Team USA goalie Tim Howard this weekend -- turns out, she's a model ... a really, really hot model.

In fact, TMZ Sports spoke with Nora Segura ... who confirms she and Tim are "friends" ... but when we asked if they were dating, Nora played coy.

"We've been talking a lot lately," Nora says ... "I was glad he came to L.A. It was great to see him."

Nora and Tim hit up 1Oak nightclub together on Saturday with a brunette who looks a lot like Sara Mclean -- the British reality star Tim had reportedly been dating.

But Nora tells us the woman was NOT Sara -- it's a friend named Gabrielle who lives in L.A.