Clint Dempsey scored the winner on the United States' return to Cuba

USA beat Cuba 1-0 in Havana, their first visit to the Caribbean island for 61 years, with a first-half Clint Dempsey goal.

And Mexico won 3-0 against Jamaica in Mexico City amid home protests at rising crime and a brutal drug war.

USA weather the boos

In Havana, the third round Group A match on Saturday took place against the backdrop of a 46-year-old US trade embargo against Cuba, imposed after Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and allied the country with the Soviet Union.

However, the US players came out onto the pitch after the match at the rickety Pedro Marrero stadium and applauded the Cuban fans.

Coach Bob Bradley said it was a spontaneous gesture of appreciation, given despite the players being booed by the home crowd.

"We've been treated very well here and people have been very friendly," he said. "It's been an excellent trip."

Fulham striker Dempsey scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute, latching on to a Brian Ching knockdown to shoot home unmarked.

The embargo meant there were almost no Americans in the stands, though a few officials from the US Interests Section, which Washington maintains instead of an embassy, organised a trip to the game.

Football has almost no following on the baseball-crazy island, but the political overtones of a home game with the Americans piqued interest.

Pedro Marrero's official capacity is around 20,000, though only about 8,000 were on hand and officials didn't open large swaths of seating.

The venue is nearly 80 years old and plagued by poor lighting and a crumbling grandstand roof that officials were still scrambling to repair hours before Saturday's game began.

Floodlights went out completely during warmups and then some went out again in the 86th minute, shrouding half the field in darkness and briefly stopping play.

Tickets cost just 1 peso, slighty more than four American pennies, and many students and young communist groups got in free.

Drug war protest

Sven Goran-Eriksson praised Mexico's 'classy' win

Tens of thousands of Mexican fans used their team's game at home to Jamaica to protest against spiralling crime and a drug war that has killed more than 2,700 people this year.

At least three quarters of the 100,000 crowd at Mexico City's Azteca stadium answered a call by the Mexican Football Federation to dress in white while the team also played in white instead of the usual green.

On the pitch, Sven Goran-Eriksson's team encountered little resistance from the Jamaicans, who were due to host the Group B game until Hurricane Gustav swept through the Caribbean.

Andres Guardado opened the scoring in the third minute before Fernando Arce and Jonny Magallon added further goals.

"Maybe the game was easy but there is still much work to do for us to qualify," said Eriksson. "We won with class and personality."

Mexico and the United States both top their groups with six points from two games.

Honduras triumph

Ramon Nunez scored twice in the second half as Honduras came from behind to beat Canada 2-1 away in the other Group B game, while Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala drew 1-1 in Group A.

Carlos Gallardo scored an injury-time equaliser for Guatemala after Keon Daniel had given the Soca Warriors an 83rd minute lead.

Central American pair Costa Rica and El Salvador both went on goal sprees in Group C.

Costa Rica thrashed Suriname 7-0, with four of the goals coming in the last 15 mintues, while Rodolfo Zelaya scored a hat-trick to help El Salvador beat Haiti 5-0.

Haiti had Pierre Bruny sent off in the 21st minute.

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