The four-team, six-match tournament continues Sunday when three-time defending champion Mexico plays Ireland at Solider Field in Chicago.

Saturday's match before 16,570 at RFK Stadium was the first-ever meeting between the two sides and South Africa's first trip to the United States.

The Americans got the offence they lacked in a April loss to Russia and a less than impressive draw to Tunisia in March.

Jones struck twice in an eight-minute span of the first half to give the hosts a 2-0 lead at the interval.

Less than a minute after Dumisi Ngobe lashed a vicious 22-metre shot over the U.S. goal, the Americans came storming back down the right side as Earnie Stewart found Chris Armas near the top of the South African area.

Armas put a quick centering pass to Jones who drilled the ball into the left corner from the top of the penalty arch at 36 minutes.

'The (South African) defender was yelling 'shoot it, shoot it,' said Jones, 'so I shot it.'

At 44 minutes, Jones doubled the Americans' lead.

South Africa goalkeeper Andre Arendse punched out an Eddie Lewis corner kick, but the ball went directly to Claudio Reyna on the right side. He headed across to Jones who lashed a left-footed shot to the left side of the net for his 13th goal in 127 appearances.

Jones would set up Reyna for the Americans' third goal at 65 minutes and three minutes later, supplying a pass that Stewart volleyed home.

'We beat a good team today,' said U.S. coach Bruce Arena. 'We had to make a couple of adjustments at halftime, but it was that second goal that took us to halftime that really gave us the confidence.'

South Africa came out a bit more determined in the second half and at 49 minutes nearly pulled a goal back when substitute Delron Buckley hit the side netting from eight metres.

At 50 minutes, Stewart missed an easy chance when he was put through by Brian McBride only to shoot high over the bar from eight metres. McBride failed to finish a handful of first-half chances including a header on a cross from Reyna that went centimetres wide of the right post.

In the 62nd minute, Buckley found Shaun Bartlett with a perfect cross on the right side only to have the South African captain weakly head wide to the right.

Three minutes later, the United States put the match away.

Jones made a strong run down the right side as he chested down a high ball by McBride before finding Reyna alone on the left with a knee-high cross that the unmarked Glasgow Rangers midfielder calmly slotted into the right side of the net from seven metres.

'Some of our players got careless out there in the second,' said South African coach Trott Moloto. 'We will use this game as a lesson as we start preparing for (World Cup) qualification.'

Stewart finished the scoring in the 68th minute. Jones lofted a high pass to Stewart on the right side from the top of the six-yard box. Stewart struck the ball on a half-volley and sent it into the upper right corner of the net.