Seattle Sounders forward and U.S. Men's National Team veteran Clint Dempsey is no stranger to important matches. Dempsey, who is currently chasing his 50th career goal for the USMNT and picked up his 125th cap in the Copa America Centenario opening match versus Colombia, spoke candidly on Sunday to reporters prior to the squad's training session in Chicago.
"It's going to be a difficult game. They [Costa Rica] know they got a result that puts them in position to get out of the group," said Dempsey. "And for us, it's a must-win. So it's going to be a difficult challenge."
Dempsey played 90 minutes in the 2-0 loss to Colombia and after a scoreless draw between Paraguay and Costa Rica on Saturday afternoon, the USMNT finds itself with an opportunity to advance to the knockout round with just a tie and a win. Although they were unable to net a goal against Paraguay, Dempsey says he's aware of the challenge that the Ticos will present on Tuesday evening at Solider Field.
"They've shown in major competitions that they can perform well, like they did last World Cup," Dempsey said. "We're on home soil. We got to bring it."
