Wondolowski, Green lift US to 2-0 exhibition win at Cuba

Chris Wondolowski and Julian Green scored second-half goals, lifting the United States to a 1-0 victory Friday over Cuba in its first exhibition game in 69 years at the Caribbean island nation.

The U.S. started nine players who likely will be on the field for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico. The 22nd-ranked Americans struggled to mount attacks in the first half against No. 139 Cuba, hampered by a bumpy field at Havana’s Estadio Pedro Marrero that had brown patches, but still extended their winning streak to three.

A 21-year-old making his first start in more than two years, Green created the first goal when he took a shot that was parried by goalkeeper Sandy Sanchez. The rebound went to Wondolowski, who scored with a right-footed shot from 8 yards in the 62nd minute. Wondowloski’s 11th international goal was his first since July 2015 against Guatemala.

Wondolowski, who entered at the start of the second half, passed across the goal nine minutes later, and Green redirected the ball into the net. Green, who has struggled to gain playing time at Bayern Munich, scored his only other international goal against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup.

With regular goalkeepers Tim Howard and Brad Guzan given the game off, Ethan Horvath made his international debut and got the shutout. At 21 years, 120 days, he became the youngest goalkeeper to debut for the U.S. since Zach Thornton was a substitute in a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 22, 1994.