WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) — US captain Clint Dempsey scored two goals in the second half and the Americans held off a late comeback, yesterday, for a 4-3 victory over second-ranked Germany in an international football friendly.

Tottenham striker Dempsey netted his 34th and 35th international goals in his 96th appearance for the USA, moving past Eric Wynalda into second on the all-time US scoring list, 14 shy of Landon Donovan’s record.

Dempsey’s brace gave the Americans a dream 4-1 lead in the US Soccer Federation’s centennial celebration match, just four days after they struggled in a 4-2 loss to Belgium.

A German side missing many of its top stars battled back on late goals by Max Kruse and Julain Draxler, but could not net the equaliser, falling to 6-3 against the Americans with their first loss to a US side since falling 2-0 at the 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico.

Former German star Jurgen Klinsmann coached the Americans yesterday against a German side he managed in the 2006 World Cup, a team now guided by his former assistant, Joachim Loew.

German substitute Heiko Westermann’s header in the 51st minute off a corner kick from Kruse pulled the visitors within 2-1.

But the Americans answered in the 60th minute, Jozy Altidore playing the ball to his right into the penalty area and Dempsey taking it on one bounce and hammering a shot into the back of the net.

Dempsey struck again four minutes later, firing a left-footed rocket from just beyond the penalty area for a 4-1 US lead.

Kruse pulled one back for the Germans in the 79th minute and Draxler trimmed the margin to 4-3 in the 81st, taking the rebound off a Sydney Sam shot that US goalkeeper Tim Howard sprawled to deflect and tapping the ball unchallenged into the goal.

But the US stiffened at the finish to preserve the victory.

German defender Per Mertesacker missed a golden chance from the heart of the penalty area in the 10th minute while one-on-one with Howard, pushing his shot just wide of the goal to the right of the Everton netminder.

Altidore gave the Americans the lead in the 13th minute, blasting a cross from Graham Zuzi with a left-footed volley into the back of the net from just inside the penalty area.

A 16th-minute blunder by German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen gave the US side a 2-0 edge. Ter Stegen misplayed a pass from defender Benedikt Howedes and the ball rolled off his foot and across the goal line.

In the 24th minute, German captain Miroslav Klose took a breakaway pass and flicked a right-footed shot past a helpless Howard, but the Lazio striker was offside on the play, nullifying the effort as Germany trailed 2-0 at half-time.

Klose remains one goal shy of Gerd Mueller’s all-time German national team record of 68 goals.

The Germans lacked several top names from Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid stars Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira.

But they boasted Lars and Sven Bender, the first twins to start for Germany in 39 years.

Germany was the final opponent for the Americans ahead of three crucial 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifying matches later this month. The US squad plays at Jamaica on Friday, then hosts Panama four days later and Honduras on June 18.

US players wore “Boston Strong” uniform patches in tribute to those killed and injured in the April explosion at the Boston Marathon, with jerseys to be auctioned to benefit the victim relief fund.

The Americans are expected to arrive in Jamaica today for their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match at the National Stadium on Friday.