Winners
The USA downed Poland, a fellow World Cup qualifier, 1-0, thanks to a close-range Clint Dempsey header in Kaiserslautern, Germany. It marked the USA's fourth straight win this World Cup year while outscoring opponents, 13-2. The American starting lineup included six European-based and five MLS players.
Two other World Cup qualifiers from the CONCACAF region posted wins in the friendlies that took place 100 days before World Cup kickoff. Dwight Yorke hit both goals as TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, for which New England defender Avery John played in defense, downed Iceland, 2-0. MEXICO beat Ghana, 1-0, on a goal by Argentine-born striker Guillermo Franco. Costa Rica, however, fell 3-2 to Iran.
SPAIN fell behind twice to African Nations Cup runner-up and World Cup qualifier Ivory Coast to post a 3-2 win and extend its unbeaten streak to 19 games. ENGLAND came from behind to beat Uruguay, 2-1, as Joe Cole set up towering Peter Crouch, subbed in for Wayne Rooney, for his first national team goal and hit the late winner.
Losers
GERMANY getting thumped, 4-1, in Italy means the once feared Germans have now gone six years without beating a traditional power. And the pressure on Coach Juergen Klinsmann mounts. His decision to remain a California resident, to use American fitness coaches, and to campaign (unsuccessfully) to appoint a hockey coach as national team program technical director already rankled plenty of feathers. Now his detractors are really piling on.
FRANCE lost its first game since July 2004, going down at home, 2-1, to Slovakia. The French had been undefeated since Coach Raymond Domenech took over from Jacques Santini after Euro 2004. SWEDEN was trounced 3-0 by non-qualifier Ireland in Dublin while ARGENTINA fell, 3-2, on a last-minute goal at fellow qualifier Croatia.