The US national team's Costa Rican nightmare continues.
The USMNT turned in a chaotic, ragged performance at the Estadio Nacional on Tuesday night and were duly punished by a dominant Ticos side in a 4-0 humbling that leaves the Yanks with an 0-2 mark two games into the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying for the first time in decades.
Montreal Impact attacker Johan Venegas headed home a cross from Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Christian Bolaños shortly before the break to give the hosts a halftime lead, arguably a letoff for a US side that was second-best in every respect. But things got worse, much worse, in the second 45 minutes.
The Yanks continued to struggle despite fielding nearly an identical lineup, and in a 4-4-2 shape, to the one that controlled the second half vs. Mexico on Friday. Bolaños nodded home a saucy outside-of-the-foot cross from Bryan Ruiz for Costa Rica's second in the 68th minute, triggering a full meltdown by the US defense.
Center back John Brooks' poor first touch gifted Joel Campbell a free run at goalkeeper Brad Guzan a few minutes later to push the scoreline to 3-0. And Campbell bagged a brace in much the same situation just four minutes later as Brooks and Omar Gonzalez could not keep a clean line, allowing the striker another breakway off a deep cross from New York City FC fullback Ronald Matarrita.
The loss runs the USMNT's history of futility in qualifiers in Costa Rica to 0-9-1 all-time, and leaves them with plenty of hard, painful questions to ponder before they resume their Hexagonal campaign at home to Honduras in late March.
Box Score
- 44' – CRC – Johan Venegas (Christian Bolaños)
- 68' – CRC – Christian Bolaños (Bryan Ruiz)
- 74' – CRC – Joel Campbell
- 78' – CRC – Joel Campbell (Ronald Matarrita)
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Next Up
- CRC: World Cup qualifying, at Mexico (March 24, 2017)
- USA: World Cup qualifying, vs. Honduras (March 24, 2017)
