Guy within the suit is excited. (Getty)
From the minute the U.S. crew landed in Costa Rica, their hosts tried to make life as difficult as doable for them. It was a want for payback that has festered in the months since Costa Rica misplaced 1-0 in an sudden Colorado snow storm the final time the 2 sides met in a World Cup qualifier. When the U.S. got off the plane on Tuesday night time, they have been greeted with chants of “USA no truthful play” and their bus was promptly egged. A cow with an airhorn interrupted U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s interviews on the training ground and when the match finally began, the Costa Rica staff picked up where the followers and random mascots left off.
The match began about as poorly because it possibly could with the important Michael Bradley having to be pulled from what ought to have been the strongest beginning XI of the Klinsmann era after injuring himself during pre-match heat-ups. As soon as the game started, Los Ticos scored twice within the first nine minutes, gorgeous a United States team that has grown assured by profitable the Gold Cup and a team file 12 straight matches.
As ugly of a start because it proved to be, it wasn’t the tip simply yet. Of their earlier match, the U.S. got here back from a horrible first half in a pleasant towards Bosnia-Herzegovina to overturn a 2-0 deficit and win four-three for their first comeback win ever on European soil. Clint Dempsey supplied an extra motive to believe when he marked his a centesimal national staff cap by changing a penalty — albeit with a poor shot and great deflection off the keeper — shortly earlier than halftime to make it 2-1.
Any makes an attempt to construct on that within the second half failed, although. Costa Rica’s Joe Campbell added the exclamation level to their win by sprinting past U.S. defender Matt Besler and making it 3-1, which might be the ultimate rating.
So the U.S. group record win streak comes to an finish at 12 matches and that is actually OKAY. They’re now second in the group, one point behind Costa Rica, and a win in their subsequent match can clinch a World Cup look if circumstances conspire the correct approach. That they had by no means gained in Costa Rica, so it was by no means going to be easy, and the closer they obtained to Spain’s world document of 15 consecutive wins, the extra the United States ran the danger of rising overconfident a 12 months out from the World Cup (which is about one hundred thirty five type cycles). The streak had to finish sometime and it might be became a optimistic if it forces the crew to sharpen their efforts forward of Tuesday’s far more important match towards Mexico in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday.
Bradley’s rolled ankle, plus the suspensions for yellow card accumulation for Matt Besler, Geoff Cameron and Jozy Altidore are a priority, however will present a great test of the improved depth that has won praise for this staff.
Speaking of Mexico, they misplaced 2-1 to Honduras — simply their second dwelling loss in a World Cup qualifier ever. They nonetheless have not received at house in this round of the qualifying course of and now sit fourth within the CONCACAF desk, which places them in line for the inter-confederation playoff in opposition to New Zealand. Shedding after 12 straight wins is one factor, however it can always be worse.
Costa Rica get snow game revenge, end U.S. win streak at 12 matches
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