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Jozy Altidore (L) controls the ball in front of Turkey's Servet Cetin during an international friendly match in Philadelphia. Clint Dempsey scored in the 75th minute to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Turkey here Saturday and a triumphant send-off to the US World Cup bid in South Africa.

Two weeks ahead of their World Cup opener against England, the Americans looked woeful in the first half and fell behind before Jozy Altidore and Dempsey answered for the victory on the eve of the US flight to South Africa.

Arda Turan's breakaway in 27th minute gave Turkey a 1-0 half-time edge but Altidore finished a chip-and-charge play by reserve Robbie Findley to equalize in the 58th minute.

Dempsey netted the winner in the 75th minute, taking a perfect pass from US veteran Landon Donovan and fighting off a defender as he ran to the five-meter line, then flicked the finish past Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.

US supporters reveled in their victory in the final seconds, chanting, "We Want England." They will not have long to wait for Fabio Capello's side.

An injury-riddled defensive unit was a major US worry and early backline blunders, a turnover and a cross-field ball to a Turkish attacker, showed the need for improved communication and time together.

US captain Carlos Bocanegra is coming off a May 5 hernia operation while fellow defender Oguchi Onyewu of AC Milan is back after missing seven months with a ruptured left knee tendon. Jay DeMerit was out with an abdominal strain.

Onyewu, who was injured last October in the final US World Cup qualifying match, played his first 65 minutes since then in a 4-2 loss Tuesday to the Czech Republic but was consigned to a reserve role against Turkey.

Turkey's Tuncay Sanli, a forward at England's Stoke City, went wide with a five-meter shot in the sixth minute and Turan fired over the crossbar in another prime shot as US defender Jonathan Spector struggled in the first half.

After a Turkish miss from the top of the crease 10 minutes in, US goalkeeper Tim Howard ran out to his defenders, screaming his instructions in desperation to stem the Turkish tide.

Turan finally made the Americans pay in the 27th minute, racing in unguarded from the right of Howard and right-footing the ball into the net for a 1-0 Turkey lead as two beaten US defenders could not run him down.

US attackers struggled as well with passes to empty wings rolling beyond the boundaries but the hosts nearly equalized in the 43rd minute, Altidore's pass across the goal mouth just past the outstretched right foot of sliding Dempsey.

Onyewu and Steve Cherundolo replaced defenders Spector and Clarence Goodson to start the second half and Robbie Findley and Jose Torres were also inserted on attack, moves that paid dividends in improved play and set up the equalizer.

Findley chipped the ball away and raced forward for the return pass to lure Demirel out too far to his left. Findley sped past him and centered the ball to Altidore for the easy finish, setting up Dempsey's decisive ball.