US and Mexico on World Cup trail

THE US and Mexico signalled their intentions with valuable away wins on Wednesday as the final round of 2006 World Cup qualifying began in the North and Central America and Caribbean region.

Eddie Johnson’s goal in the first half and Eddie Lewis’s in the second lifted the US to a 2-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.

Jaime Lozano scored two goals in as many minutes for Mexico, who defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in San Jose.

In the third match, Panama and Guatemala played to a goalless draw in Panama City.

The six-nation final round will send three teams directly to the World Cup while the fourth-placed team will play off with an Asian side.