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USA Beat Venezuela 2-0 In World Cup Warm-Up Friendly

Submitted by Scott Harkness on Sat, 27/05/2006 - 15:25.

Bruce Arena’s United States have beaten Venezuela 2-0 in an World Cup warm-up international friendly on Friday.

Brian Ching scored in the 36th minute and Clint Dempsey in the 69th for the World Cup-bound US team to seal a comfortable victory over the South Americans.

Bruce Arena's team, who were given plenty of space by Venezuela, finished a man short after Carlos Bocanegra was sent-off 8 minutes from time for a second yellow card.

With the schedule cramming three friendlies into a six-day span, U.S. coach Bruce Arena rested many of his first-team players who started in Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Morocco.

Only defender Oguchi Onyewu and striker Josh Wolff remained in the starting eleven from the Morocco defeat.

Ching, who some thought would be left out in favour of Taylor Twellman for the World Cup squad, put the United States ahead with his fourth goal in 19 internationals.

Reading’s Bobby Convey, who added his offensive spark to the match, took the ball down the left side and crossed for Ching, who toe-poked it past goalkeeper Javier Toyo.

Ching nearly doubled the lead in the 54th minute, from a cross from Chris Albright, but Toyo dove left to punch the ball away. Tim Howard then made a leaping save in the 64th to push Juan Arrango's shot over the crossbar.

Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley came on midway through the second half, replacing Convey and Wolff, and Donovan immediately provided the pass which created the second goal, a Dempsey header in the 69th minute.

Sunday’s match against Latvia in East Hartford, Connecticut is the last game on home-soil before the United States head to Germany to prepare for the World Cup Finals which kick-off on June 9.