Final, 4-0 United States: The game’s over. Team USA soars back into Copa America contention.
Team USA should party like its 1995 after this win. Dempsey powered the U.S. to a three-goal lead in the first half with an early strike from the penalty spot and assists on Jones’ and Wood’s goals. The U.S. managed the rest of the game, and Zusi made it a festival by adding the fourth goal late. The result was Team USA’s biggest-ever win over Costa Rica.
Costa Rica had more possession, but the U.S. defended well enough to keep the Ticos off the board. The game might have unfolded differently had Costa Rica capitalized on its hot start or had more of a killer instinct in front of goal.
Either way, the United States has given fresh hope to its fans. It moves level on points with Colombia atop Group A (that could change depending on the outcome of the late game) for now, and sets up a seismic clash with Paraguay on Saturday.
That’s all for now, and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion coming up on NESN.com/soccer.
Postgame analysis of USA-Costa Rica >>
90th minute, 4-0 United States: There will be three minutes of added time in the second half.
89th minute, 4-0 United States: Pemberton saves Cameron’s volleyed shot, as Team USA looks to convert a corner kick and make the rout worse than it already is for Costa Rica.
87th minute, 4-0 United States: Zusi extends Team USA’s lead to four goals.
Zusi took the ball from a Costa Rica defender and finished the job himself.
It’s that kind of night for Team USA.
83rd minute, 3-0 United States: Beckerman clears a Costa Rica shot off the goal line. The U.S. midfielder makes an instant impact.
Costa Rica nearly caught Team USA napping on a free kick.
83rd minute, 3-0 United States: Bedoya departs, and Kyle Beckerman enters in the United States’ final substitution.
82nd minute, 3-0 United States: The referee shows John Brooks a yellow card for a foul on Ruiz. It’s a harsh decision against the U.S. center back.
77th minute, 3-0 United States: Dempsey departs to a standing ovation following a standout performance in the Windy City.
Chris Wondolowski replaces Dempsey in the United States’ second substitution. It’s a forward for striker swap.
73rd minute, 3-0 United States: Costa Rica carelessly gives the ball away, and Team USA nearly makes it four.
Bedoya passed up a shot at the near post, preferring to look for Zardes at the back post. A Costa Rica defender blocked the pass out for a corner kick.
The through-ball from Jones to Bedoya was sublime.
70th minute, 3-0 United States: Graham Zusi replaces Wood in the United States’ first substitution.
67th minute, 3-0 United States: Ruiz hits the post with a header. Guzan wouldn’t have saved the shot if it was slightly more accurate.
60th minute, 3-0 United States: The game is taking a turn toward the physical, as players engage in on- and off-the-ball pushing in the early stages of the second half.
55th minute, 3-0 United States: Celso Borges misses the target from 12 yards out, as Costa Rica comes close to scoring on a quick counter-attack.
53rd minute, 3-0 United States: Wood swipes at Azofeifa’s face, as the opponents confront each other following a hard, but honest, tackle by the U.S. forward. The referee calms things down without penalizing either player.
52nd minute, 3-0 United States: Azofeifa shoots well over the bar from long range.
46th minute, 3-0 United States: The second half is underway.
Costa Rica made two substitutions at halftime. Jose Salvatierra and Randall Azofeifa enter. Gamboa and Campbell exit.
Campbell’s removal suggests head coach Oscar Ramirez is either saving the star forwards legs for Costa Rica’s final group-stage game or punishing him for an indifferent first half against the United States. It’s probably a case of both.
Either way, Costa Rica is out of substitutions. Talk about a gamble.
Halftime, 3-0 United States: That’s the end of the first half. Team USA leads by three.
How’s that for a reaction to an early setback?
Team USA renewed its Copa America 2016 campaign with a breakout first half against Costa Rica. Dempsey might have scored after a disputed penalty-kick decision, but the extent of Team USA’s rebirth is undeniable, as strikes from Wood and Jones confirmed.
Dempsey is playing a more withdrawn role than the one he played against Colombia and the effects are devestating.
Costa Rica had its share of opportunities and possession but failed to make the most of them; and Team USA’s mistakes at the back. The “Ticos” now find themselves in unfamiliar territory against a team it has faced many times through the years.
Team USA also is in rarefied air.
44th minute, 3-0 United States: The referee shows a yellow card to Fabian Johnson.
42nd minute, 3-0 United States: Wood fires Team USA to a three-goal lead.
He received a pass from Dempsey just inside the penalty arc, spun and shot past goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton.
39th minute, 2-0 United States: Costa Rica nearly responds with a goal, but Team USA escapes on another last-second intervention by a defender.
37th minute, 2-0 United States: Jones doubles Team USA’s delight with a well-placed finish from a similar position as the chance he missed one minute ago.
Jones started the counter attack in the midfield and finished it from 20 yards away from Costa Rica’s goal.
36th minute, 1-0 United States: Jones curls a shot narrowly wide from 15 yards out. Dempsey created the chance for Jones on the counter-attack.
33rd minute, 1-0 United States: Zardes shoots over the goal in another promising opportunity. Dempsey sent a nice pass to Zardes, but the young forward put too much power on his shot and missed the target.
30th minute, 1-0 United States: Klinsmann must be pleased, albeit not thrilled, by what he has seen in the first half hour. Team USA’s attacking play is full of zest, and its commitment in defense also is admirable.
26th minute, 1-0 United States: Zardes runs onto Bedoya’s through-ball, but his shot hits the side netting.
23rd minute, 1-0 United States: The end-to-end game continues at a frantic pace, with neither side in full control.
Costa Rica has produced the most dangerous moment since the goal, but Fabian Johnson’s desperate intervention prevented a possible game-tying goal.
19th minute, 1-0 United States: Costa Rica striker Marco Urena fell awkwardly following a collision with Yedlin.
Urena leaves the game with an apparent injury. MLS veteran Alvaro Saborio replaces Urena on Costa Rica’s front line.
16th minute, 1-0 United States: Dempsey’s goal has given Team USA fresh impetus, as its passing has grown sharper and defending more confident.
Ninth minute, 1-0 United States: Dempsey gives Team USA the lead from the penalty spot.
Dempsey now has a half-century of goals for the United States. The U.S. forward is eight goals away from breaking Landon Donovan’s record.
Costa Rica probably shudders at the sight of Dempsey in the U.S. lineup.
Costa Rica’s tough breaks in Copa America continue.
Seventh minute, 0-0: The referee awards a penalty to Team USA.
Cristian Gamboa pushed Wood from behind as DeAndre Yedlin crossed, and the U.S. forward went down inside the penalty area.
Fifth minute, 0-0: Joel Campbell nearly punishes the United States’ pair of mistakes with a goal, but his volleyed shot flies narrowly wide of Brad Guzan’s goal.
The U.S. has started slowly, looking uneasy when both attacking and defending.
Kickoff: USA-Costa Rica is underway.
A tenth Copa America loss would be the hardest of them all for Team USA to take.
Pregame: The United States names an unchanged lineup, a departure from Klinsmann’s usual style.
Klinsmann’s selections suggest he retains full belief in this group as his best 11. He said after the Colombia loss that Team USA’s performance pleased him, aside from the two goals it conceded on set pieces.
Costa Rica’s packed midfield will challenge the U.S. to move the ball quicker and perhaps more direct than it did against Colombia.
Clint Dempsey did the lion’s share of shooting for Team USA against Colombia.
The veteran forward needs attacking help from Bobby Wood and Gyasi Zardes, who made little impact in the Copa America opener.
Alejandro Bedoya celebrates a milestone in his international career.
7:30 p.m.: Here are the starting lineups.
United States
Costa Rica
7 p.m. ET: The United States men’s national soccer team is trying to prove a false start doesn’t have to lead to an early stop.
Team USA faces Costa Rica in their second of three Group A games in Copa America 2016. Costa Rica leads the United States by one point to zero in the standings, and anything less than a win will doom Team USA’s chances of advancing out of the group.
The United States must bounce back forcefully from a loss to Colombia in order to achieve what it set out to do at this tournament: prove it can compete with the best teams in the Western Hemisphere and perhaps beyond. Team USA has been a resilient group in five years under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, and a date with CONCACAF rival Costa Rica could provide the platform to demonstrate just that.
Costa Rica tied Paraguay in its Copa America opener. It faces a familiar foe in the United States — a team it hasn’t beaten on the road in a competitive game in 25 years; a span of 15 games. “Los Ticos” will take on the United States without star defender Kendall Watson, who received a red card in the first game of the tournament.
The USA-Costa Rica Copa America 2016 Group A game kicks off at 8 p.m. Join us right here for all the action from Soldier Field in Chicago.
Thumbnail photo via Sean Pokorny/USA TODAY Sports Images
