Buddle's two goals lead US over Australia
Monday, 7 June 2010
ROODEPOORT, June 6 (AP): The dress rehearsal could not have gone much better for the United States.
In a small stadium near an open field in a suburb west of Johannesburg, the Americans beat Australia for the first time, a 3-1 victory Saturday on a sun-splashed autumn afternoon that filled the US players with confidence.
Next up is the game the Americans have been waiting six months for, their high-profile World Cup opener against England on June 12.
"We don't fear them," Landon Donovan said. "We feel they're a team we can compete with."
Edson Buddle, not even in the national team picture a few months ago, scored in the fourth and 31st minutes for his first two international goals. Herculez Gomez, another player not expected to make the World Cup roster, entered in the 82nd minute and scored against the Socceroos in second-half injury time, his second national team goal in 12 days.
In a small stadium near an open field in a suburb west of Johannesburg, the Americans beat Australia for the first time, a 3-1 victory Saturday on a sun-splashed autumn afternoon that filled the US players with confidence.
Next up is the game the Americans have been waiting six months for, their high-profile World Cup opener against England on June 12.
"We don't fear them," Landon Donovan said. "We feel they're a team we can compete with."
Edson Buddle, not even in the national team picture a few months ago, scored in the fourth and 31st minutes for his first two international goals. Herculez Gomez, another player not expected to make the World Cup roster, entered in the 82nd minute and scored against the Socceroos in second-half injury time, his second national team goal in 12 days.