United States vs. Costa Rica: Final Score 3-0 as Yanks Win Again in Orlando

The United States Men’s National Team is still perfect at Inter&Co Stadium after a 3-0 win over Costa Rica on a cold Wednesday night in Orlando. Brian White, Caden Clark, and Patrick Agyemang provided the offense as the USMNT improved to a perfect 7-0-0 at the home stadium of Orlando City SC, outscoring the opposition 25-2 in the venue.

“I think we are very, very happy,” USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the game. “After 90 minutes, it’s like, okay, it’s not (looking like) one or two weeks working together. It looks like we’re working together for six months.”

Pochettino’s starting lineup included Zack Steffen in goal behind a back line of DeJuan Jones, Tim Ream, Walker Zimmerman, and Miles Robinson. Benjamin Cremaschi and Emeka Eneli started in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Brian Gutierrez, Diego Luna, and Indiana Vassilev, with White up top. For Robinson, it was his first USMNT start at right back.

Los Ticos opened the game as the aggressor, getting on the ball more and winning several early corner kicks. The visitors, however, could do nothing with them. The U.S. won a couple early corners of its own. The first was played short and ended in a Vassilev shot high over the bar from outside the area. On the second, Vassilev got his shot blocked in front. Gutierrez’s follow-up shot squirted off the side of his foot and into the outside netting in the 14th minute.

A few minutes later, Luna took a careless arm in the face and may have broken his nose. He spent several minutes getting attended to by the training staff, staying in the game after changing out of his bloody shirt and putting on a clean one. Just moments later, Luna took a pass from Jones near the middle of the field, carried it into the attacking half, and threaded a beautiful pass to White up top. White didn’t get all of his left-footed shot, but he placed it well, scoring his first USMNT goal to make it 1-0 in the 21st minute.

“(Luna) showed great character, because he wanted to stay. He wanted to play,” Pochettino said. “He’s a player that for sure we’re going to have consideration for the future.”

White nearly netted his second goal five minutes later off a corner. Ream flicked the ball into the middle of the box for White, who stabbed a shot right at goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado, who made a good reaction save to keep it 1-0. A minute later, Luna set up White on the right side. Alvarado made the initial save and Vassilev couldn’t get on the rebound as it was knocked out for a corner. Ream flicked well wide of the near post on the right side on the ensuing set piece.

Costa Rica had a good attacking spell toward the latter part of the first half. Steffen did well to palm away a wicked cross by Joseph Mora in the 36th minute. Moments later, he made a big save, tipping a dipping Alejandro Bran shot from distance over the crossbar. Luna cleared away the ensuing corner kick after it pinged dangerously along the ground in the box.

Luna was nearly in behind down the left in the 39th minute but Santiago van der Putten pulled him back, earning a yellow card. The U.S. did nothing with the ensuing free kick and Robinson was booked for a collision with the goalkeeper after Alvarado caught the Gutierrez service.

Gutierrez made a barnstorming run through the Costa Rica defense in the 42nd minute, working his way left to right to set up a shot, but he ultimately had it blocked by Ryan Bolanos.

The last chance of the half nearly went Costa Rica’s way, but Robinson read the entry ball well and beat Josimar Mendez to the ball on what could have been a point-blank opportunity. The sides went to the break with the U.S. up 1-0.

The U.S. held the halftime advantage in possession (59.4%-40.6%), shots (7-3), and shots on target (3-1). Costa Rica won more corners (5-4)

Pochettino made three changes at the break, sending on Jack McGlynn, Clark, and Matko Miljevic for Luna, Gutierrez, and Cremaschi.

With a lot of whistles, some yellow cards, and several substitutions, the second half didn’t flow as smoothly as the first. The United States had few sustained attacking possessions but still managed to find some goals near the end to put the game away, but not before the Ticos threatened to make a game of it.

Creichel Perez had the first shot of the second half in the 53rd minute, sending a shot over Steffen’s goal from distance. A minute later, White had a golden opportunity for a brace, faking his defender to the ground and firing wide of the left post from the right from seven yards out.

Allan Cruz nearly tied the game in the 56th minute. A shot from the right deflected to a wide-open Cruz in the box on the left. He blasted a shot, but Steffen made a sensational save to tip it wide and preserve his team’s lead.

“Today he performed really, really well,” Pochettino said of Steffen’s performance. “A few saves that were amazing, showed the quality that the keeper (has). The keeper needs to save and he showed his quality, so happy for him, because he was great.”

Cruz sent a one-hopper right at Steffen in the 66th minute to break up a spell without scoring chances either way.

The U.S. doubled its lead in the 77th minute on a great play on the left by Eneli, who beat the defense and cut back a diagonal pass through the box. Clark fired, smashing his shot into the upper left corner to make it 2-0.

The Yanks did well to kill the game from that point on, keeping possession and passing around the back to bleed the clock, but there were a few near misses on through balls that nearly put Agyemang in behind the defense. It finally worked in the 90th minute, as an inside-out ball from Jones sent the Charlotte FC striker down the left. Despite being at a tight angle, Agyemang blasted a left-footed shot in to make it 3-0 in the 90th minute for the final tally. It was Agyemang’s second goal in as many games in this January window.

Pochettino said all of the forwards in camp were impressive in this window.

“Brian White performed really well today and he scored. Patrick also impressed us. Caden Clark also,” he said. “We are so happy because very impressive month from the whole squad. It makes us feel very positive for the future. We have different options.”

Costa Rica put the ball in the box and tried to find a consolation goal in stoppage time but couldn’t connect, and the U.S. held on for the win.

The United States finished with the advantage in possession (58.4%-41.6%), shots (11-9), and shots on target (5-3), while Costa Rica won more corners (6-4).

“I think we were showing a great mentality and the quality there,” Pochettino said. “That’s why we scored three goals and we created many chances in two games. It’s about (getting the players) to believe, it’s about that they have their chances to show their quality.”

With the victory, the U.S. improved to 20-17-6 in the all-time series with Costa Rica, including a mark of 20-6-4 at home.

Next up for Pochettino’s men is a meeting with Panama in March in Concacaf Nations League play on March 20 in Los Angeles.