Jamaica tops U.S., 2-1, in Cup qualifier

U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey takes a knee after a Jamaica goal in Kingston.
U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey takes a knee after a Jamaica goal in Kingston. (   MARC SEROTA / Getty Images)
Posted: September 09, 2012

Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton scored on free kicks as Jamaica rallied to beat the visiting United States, 2-1, Friday night in Kingston in a World Cup qualifier, giving the hosts their first victory over the Americans.

Clint Dempsey, playing his first competitive match in three months, put the U.S. ahead 35 seconds in with the fastest American goal in a World Cup qualifier. But the 60th-ranked Reggae Boyz, who had been 0-10-8 against the U.S., rallied with goals in the 23d and 62d minutes on free kicks after fouls from Kyle Beckerman and Maurice Edu.

Jamaica (2-0-1) leads Group A with seven points at the halfway point, followed by the U.S. (1-1-1). Guatemala (0-0-1) hosted Antigua and Barbuda (0-1-1) later Friday.

Elsewhere: Frank Lampard scored twice as England routed host Moldova, 5-0, in Chisinau, the Three Lions' largest victory margin on the road in 19 years.

Jermain Defoe, in his 50th international appearance, made it 3-0 in the 32d. James Milner added a goal in the 74th and Leighton Baines completed the scoring in the 83d as third-ranked England overwhelmed its 141st-ranked opponent.

Dwayne De Rosario scored in the 76th minute as Canada beat Panama in Toronto, 1-0.

European Championship runner-up Italy was held to a 2-2 draw by host Bulgaria in Sofia, despite two goals from Pablo Osvaldo.

Robbie Keane scored on an 89th-minute penalty, and Kevin Doyle notched the game-winner in the 90th as Ireland avoided an upset by host Kazakhstan in a 2-1 thriller.

Falcao scored in the first minute and Teófilo Antonio Gutiérrez scored twice as Colombia thrashed visiting Uruguay, 4-0.

The Netherlands beat visiting Turkey, 2-0, in Amsterdam, getting goals by Robin Van Persie in the 17th and Luciano Narsingh in second-half injury time to end a four-game losing streak.

Germany beat the Faeroe Islands, 3-0, in Hannover, as Mario Goetze opened the scoring in the 28th minute, and Mesut Özil added goals in the 54th and 72d.

In Liechtenstein, the hosts were routed, 8-1, by Bosnia. Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic both had hat tricks.

In a friendly, Hulk scored in the 75th minute to give Brazil a 1-0 win over South Africa, a result that drew jeers from the crowd in Sao Paulo.

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