Dempsey delivers Gold Cup win
Clint Dempsey fed Jozy Altidore for the go-ahead goal, then scored on a free kick to match Landon Donovan’s American record with his 57th international goal, leading the United States over Costa Rica, 2-0, and into the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship game last night in Arlington, Texas.
Playing in his home state, the 34-year-old Dempsey entered in the 66th minute and made a perfectly timed through pass six minutes later that allowed Altidore to break in alone and beat Ticos keeper Patrick
Pemberton with a left-footed shot from 10 yards.
Dempsey doubled the lead in the 82nd minute with a 27-yard shot that went around a four-man defensive wall and got past Pemberton on two bounces.
“I saw the keeper cheating a little bit, and it went in,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey has 136 international appearances, trailing only Cobi Jones (164) and Donovan (157) among American players. The assist was his 20th for the national team.
“Coming back from two heart procedures, being able to still play at this level,” Dempsey said in his Texas twang, “living a dream. So I’m happy.”
Trying for their sixth Gold Cup title and first since 2013, the Americans play Mexico or Jamaica in the final on Wednesday at Santa Clara, Calif. The second semifinal is tonight in Pasadena, Calif.
The U.S. improved to 8-0-5 since Bruce Arena replaced Jurgen Klinsmann in November and returned for a second stint as national team coach. Arena can become the first coach to win three Gold Cup titles following championships in 2002 and 2005.
Tim Howard got his second straight shutout, making key saves on Marco
Urena in the 37th and 71st minutes.
Breakers fall
Abby Smith was immense in net with 10 saves, but
Nichelle Prince scored in the 23rd minute to give the host Houston Dash a 1-0 victory over the Breakers in a NWSL encounter, ending the Boston club’s fourmatch unbeaten run.
Rosie White and Margaret Purce were the Breakers’ top aggressor with three shots apiece, but the Dash (6-7-2) controlled possession with the likes of U.S. international stars Morgan
Brian and Carly Lloyd. The Breakers fell to 3-7-5 and host FC Kansas City on Friday night at Jordan Field on Harvard’s campus.
NYCFC rolls on
Daniel Royer had a goal and an assist as the New York Red Bulls beat Minnesota United, 3-0, in Minneapolis to win their third in a row in Major League Soccer. . . .
David Villa and Frederic Brillant scored minutes apart early in the second half and New York City FC beat the Chicago Fire, 2-1, to extend its unbeaten streak at Yankee Stadium to
seven matches. . . .
Justin Meram scored his career-best ninth goal of the season to power the host Columbus Crew to a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union.
Andrew Wenger had a goal and an assist and Alex Lima added three assists as the Houston Dynamo took down host D.C. United, 3-1, for its first road victory of the season. . . .
Cristian Colman scored his first two goals of the season as FC Dallas rallied to beat the Impact, 2-1, in Montreal. . . . Dominique Badji scored in the 76th minute to give the Colorado Rapids a 1-1 tie at Toronto FC for its first road point of the season. . . . In Sandy, Utah, Benny
Feilhaber scored on a penalty kick in the 59th minute to give Sporting Kansas City a 1-1 tie at Real Salt Lake, extending its unbeaten streak to seven matches.