COSTA COSTLY
USA falls, puts World Cup beth in question
A win Friday would have all but sent the Unites States breezing through to the World Cup. Instead, a 2-0 loss in Harrison, N.J., ended the Americans’ unbeaten streak under coach Bruce Arena, put their hopes of making it to Russia in jeopardy and ensured qualification will be a tooth-and-nail fight to the bitter end.
“Clearly, walking away [Friday] without any points is disappointing, very disappointing,” said Arena, who had been 9-0-5 since replacing Jurgen Klinsmann in November — the second-longest unbeaten streak in team history — and 2-0-2 in qualifying. “We obviously didn’t play well, didn’t make any plays that mattered.
“We were outplayed in most positions on the field, made critical errors, didn’t have a good night. Give Costa Rica credit, they outplayed us and outcoached us.”
That was clear, after striker Marco Urena turned two costly U.S. gaffes into a goal in the 30th minute and the dagger in the 82nd.
The Americans had to watch the Ticos and their droves of fans celebrate before a sellout crowd of 26,500 at Red Bull Arena — the firstever qualifier in the New York area — while the U.S. lost their fourth home qualifier since 1985. It was their first to a team other than Mexico since 16 years ago to the day, when they fell to Honduras at Washington’s RFK Stadium. But this may prove costlier.
Now the U.S. is clinging to the third and final automatic berth in CONCACAF qualifying, their eight points edging Honduras on a tiebreaker. With three games left — Tuesday at Honduras, before closing next month against Panama and at Trinidad & Tobago — they’ll have to fight to the finish.
“We’ll respond in a big way like we always try to do,’’ said Michael Bradley. “There’s three games to go, nine points on the table, everything still to play for. It’s disappointing to lose at home. ... [Now] we’re going to go down there with the mentality to win the game.
“[We’re] not worried. This is our reality at the moment. The likelihood is that it’s going to go down to the wire, and that can’t faze anybody. That can’t scare us. Costa Rica and Mexico are gone. Us, Panama and Honduras play a few games. One will go to the World Cup, one will go to the playoff, and one will be out.”
Their best chance came in the 67th when Christian Pulisic got robbed by Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas. He stars for the UEFA Champions League winners and top team in the world, and he made a worldclass sprawling save first off his right hand and then his right leg.