Mexico books US friendlies w/Venezuela, Guatemala

Mexico, who recently sacked former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson in the midst of a poor World Cup qualifying campaign, on Thursday announced they would play two US friendlies in June.

The Mexicans, who have sputtered to fourth in North American qualifying after three of 10 final-round matches for the 2010 South Africa showpiece, will face Venezuela on June 24 at Atlanta and Guatemala four days later in San Diego.

The Tri-color will use the matches as a tune-up for the regional Gold Cup tournament at US venues in July. Mexico will open that event against Nicaragua on July 5 at Oakland, California.

Mexico, 1-2 after losses to Honduras and arch-rival United States plus a win over Costa Rica, stand fourth in World Cup qualifying with only the top three assured a spot in South Africa.

The fourth-place team must come through against the fifth-best from South America in a playoff to reach South Africa.

Mexico, now with Javier Aguirre at the helm, will complete the first half of Cup qualifying with matches at El Salvador on June 6 and at home four days later to Trinidad and Tobago. Cup qualifiers then resume August 12 when the US team visits Mexico City.

Eriksson was dumped after barely 10 months on the job for Aguirre, who guided Mexico to the round of 16 in the 2002 World Cup. He spent five years in Spain leading Atletico Madrid into the Champions League.