Mexico wins friendly over Venezuela

ATLANTA — Giovani Dos Santos scored two goals and assisted on another to help Mexico win its friendly against Venezuela 4-0 Wednesday night.

Mexico plays a second friendly against Guatemala on Sunday in San Diego.

Coach Javier Aguirre is using these matches to hone El Tri for an Aug. 12 World Cup qualifier in Mexico City against the United States, which advanced to the Confederations Cup final with a stunning 2-0 upset of top-ranked Spain on Wednesday in South Africa.

El Tri has a 22-0-1 record against the United States in its homeland, but Mexico is currently 2-3 and fourth in CONCACAF qualifying. The region’s top three teams earn automatic spots for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Mexico took a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute on Dos Santos’ pass from the right side to Carlos Vela, who easily beat Rafael Romo when the Venezuelan goalkeeper fell in front of the goal box.

Four minutes earlier, Romo, who allowed all four goals and made six saves, went face-down on the Georgia Dome grass with an apparent injury, but he never left the field.

Dos Santos scored from the right side, hitting the left part of the net for a 2-0 lead in the 48th. Less than three minutes later, he made it 3-0 when he went for a high kick against Romo in the penalty box. The ball ricocheted off Romo, and Dos Santos quickly gained control to hit the back of the net.

Aguirre has replaced eight players, including six starters from his 2006 World Cup team. Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco, a reserve on the ‘06 national club, was a notable scratch last week.

Omar Arellano gave Mexico a 4-0 lead in the 73rd minute.

Georgia Dome officials announced a crowd of 51,115 at the 72,000-seat indoor stadium. Mexican fans far outnumbered those cheering for Venezuela, the only team out of South America’s 10 countries to have never reached the World Cup.

Dome operators installed a temporary grass surface for the first time since it opened in 1992.

Mexico goalie Guillermo Ocoha had four saves on Venezuela’s 11 shots on goal. El Tri took 13 shots.