Wednesday February 29, 2012.– The United States, Jamaica and Costa Rica all won friendlies away from home on Wednesday, with the Americans earning the biggest victory - 1-0 against Italy as CONCACAF teams continued their preparation for the resumption of World Cup qualifying later this year.
The United States won for the first time in 11 tries against the four-time World Cup champions, while the Reggae Boyz won 3-2 against New Zealand and the Ticos beat Wales 1-0.
The international fixture date also saw several other CONCACAF nations in action, including Guatemala's 2-0 victory over regional rival Guyana. Elsewhere, it was: Armenia 3, Canada 1; Colombia 2, Mexico 0; Ecuador 2, Honduras 0; Paraguay 1, Panama 0; and Bolivia 1, Cuba 0. El Salvador played Estonia later Wednesday in Los Angeles.
In a match between teams that will contest CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in late March, the United States U-23 side hosted their Mexican counterparts at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
United States 1, Italy 0
In Genoa, Italy, Clint Dempsey scored in the 55th minute to give the United States only its fifth goal since the two countries first played in 1934.
Unveiling their latest away uniform, an all-navy blue kit with white sleeves, the Americans caught Italy offside nine times, including one that nullified a 26th-minute goal by Juventus' Alessandro Matri.
Dempsey scored when Fabian Johnson played a cross into the top of the area that Jozy Altidore settled with his back to goal and touched it back to Dempsey. The Fulham midfielder struck the ball first time from 17 meters, sending a bounding ball past goalkeeper Gianlugi Buffon.
Italy, which did not concede a goal in five games at home during European Championship qualification, had the better possession and chances, but lost for the first time in Genoa.
Both teams played without several regulars. The United States, which lost four of its first six under manager Juergen Klinsmann, won for the fourth straight time despite being without midfielder-captain Landon Donovan, who was absent with bronchitis.
New Zealand 2, Jamaica 3
In Auckland, New Zealand, defender Xavian Virgo and Navion Boyd scored their first international goals and Tramaine Stewart added another to give Jamaica a third victory in eight days.
Virgo put Jamaica ahead in the 38th minute and Stewart's tally had the Reggae Boyz ahead 2-0 by the 53rd.
New Zealand's Chris Wood and Boyd traded goals to leave Jamaica with a two-goal lead by the 77th minute before Chris Killen pulled the All Whites with a goal with two minutes remaining.
After scoring only three goals in five games, Jamaica has scored seven in its last three. The Reggae Boyz beat Cuba, which also will play in the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying, twice in three days in Jamaica last week before heading to New Zealand.
Wales 0, Costa Rica 1
In Cardiff, Wales, Joel Campbell put the Ticos ahead in the seventh minute and Costa Rica won only the second meeting between the two countries.
It was a second straight win for Costa Rica, which had only won twice in its previous 10 games since a 5-0 victory to open the Gold Cup in June.
Wales won the only other meeting between it and Costa Rica, 1-0 in 1990 also in Cardiff.
Mexico 0, Colombia 2
In Miami, El Tri suffered only its second loss in nearly two years, surrendering a goal in each half.
Mexico had the better of play early and hit the post with Pablo Barrera's shot in the 21st minute, but fell behind when Radamel Falcao tapped in a rebound off a Dorlan Pablon shot in the 36th. Colombia extended its lead in the 60th when Juan Cuadrado volleyed a cross from the edge of the goal box.
The match saw the international debut of 32-year-old Argentine-born midfielder Damian Alvarez, who after helping Tigres to the Mexican Apertura title in December replaced Barrera in the 74th minute.
The victory was Colombia's fourth in its last five meetings with Mexico, which has beaten the South Americans only once in seven matches dating back to 2003.
Armenia 3, Canada 1
In Limassol, Cyprus, Canada had its eight-game unbeaten streak snapped, taking an early lead before falling to Armenia.
Kevin McKenna headed in Julian de Guzman's corner kick in the fifth minute, but Marcos Pizzeli scored midway through the first half, added another midway through the second half and Araz Ozbeliz added a last minute penalty after Artur Sarkisov was fouled in the Canadian penalty area.
After Pizzeli's equalizer in in the 23rd minute, Armenia largely controlled the possession for the rest of the first half. Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan kept the game tied with several key saves, including racing off his line to beat former Kansas City Wizards and Real Salt Lake forward Yura Movsisyan.
After being outplayed for large portions of the game, Canada fell behind in the 66th minute. After David Edgar conceded a corner kick, Armenia had a shot come back off the crossbar where Pizzeli was on hand to knock in the loose ball from close range past Kenny Stamatopoulos, who had replaced Borjan in goal at halftime.
*With information from the Concacaf
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