Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Herculez Gomez scored as the United States opened their prog5amme with a somewhat shaky 3-1 victory over Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua is ranked 105th in the FIFA rankings, 77 spots below the US.
“The guys know they can step it up and they will step it up,” US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.
While the Americans didn’t play nearly as well as they’re capable of, Klinsmann insisted his team did not take the opposition lightly.
“There’s not the expectation just to kind of overrun Antigua or whatever country maybe that looks kind of weak on a piece of paper. They came here. They played the game - not of their life, but for them it’s big time. They gave everything they had,” Klinsmann said. “It’s important the players understand what they did OK and what was not so OK. They’re going to hear that from me.”
Bocanegra put the Americans ahead in the eighth minute, tapping the ball into the net after goalkeeper Molvin James made a diving save of Gomez’s header off Landon Donovan’s corner.
Dempsey’s goal came from a penalty in the 44th minute after Marvin McCoy upended Donovan streaking into the area.
Peter Byers scored in the 65th minute for Antigua, a nation of about 88,000 that almost could fit its entire population in 65,000-seat Raymond James Stadium. Gomez restored a two-goal lead in the 72th after his initial shot and Michael Bradley’s follow up both were blocked.
Mexico beat Guyana 3-1
Carlos Salcido and Giovani dos Santos scored in a five-minute span early in the first half as Mexico opened their commitments with a 3-1 win over Guyana on Friday night.
Salcido put Mexico in front in the 11th minute at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, and dos Santos doubled the lead in the 15th with his 14th goal in 58 international appearances.
An own goal by John Rodrigues gave Mexico a three-goal lead in the 51st minute, but Mexico’s Hector conceded an own-goal nine minutes later.
Occean’s header lifts Canada over host Cuba 1-0
Olivier Occean scored on a header as Canada hung on for a 1-0 win over host Cuba despite playing a man down for the last half hour in third-round play.
Occean put the visitors up in the 54th minute when he directed David Edgar’s cross past Cuban goalkeeper Odisney Cooper.
The lead held even after Canada goalie Lars Hirschfeld was sent off in the 63rd for handling the ball outside the box.