Edson Buddle scored his first two international goals and Herculez Gomez added a third Saturday to lead the United States over Australia 3-1 in a World Cup warmup match at Roodepoort, South Africa.

Playing just his third game for the national team, Buddle scored in the fourth and 31st minutes.

That tally offset a 19th-minute equalizer by Tim Cahill, who beat Everton teammate Tim Howard for his 20th international goal.

"It seems like everything Edson touches is a goal," Howard said.

Jozy Altidore, who sprained his right ankle during Wednesday's training session, didn't play for the Americans, who paired Buddle at forward with Robbie Findley.

•Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov will work Friday's opening Cup match between Mexico and South Africa, while Carlos Simon of Brazil got the high-profile U.S.-England game Saturday. … Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba hopes to play after having surgery on his broken right arm in a Swiss hospital, where doctors predicted a "speedy recovery."