Loss to Costa Rica slows U.S. surge
With another stunning home loss, the United States put its hopes of reaching an eighth straight World Cup in peril.
Marco Ureña took advantage of defensive mistakes to score in the 30th and 82nd minutes, giving Costa Rica a 2-0 win in Harrison, N.J., on Friday night that brought the Americans’ resurgence under coach Bruce Arena to a crashing thud.
“There’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves, and we’re not,” U.S. captain Michael Bradley said. “We’ve got three games to play like our lives depend on it, and we will.”
Ureña spun around defender Tim Ream, then caught Tim Howard leaning and beat the goalkeeper to the far post for the opening goal. The lone forward in a 5-4-1 formation, Ureña doubled the lead with a shot from 18 yards after David Guzman intercepted a poor pass by Geoff Cameron.
“On the night, we didn’t make any plays that mattered. We were probably outplayed in most positions on the field and made some critical errors,” Arena said. “They outplayed us and out-coached us tonight.”
The U.S. is third in the Central American and Caribbean region qualifying tournament with eight points, ahead of Honduras on goal difference. The top three nations qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia, and the fourth-place team advances to a playoff against Asia’s No. 5 finisher.
The Americans play at Honduras on Tuesday and close the hexagonal next month at home against Panama and at Trinidad and Tobago. American forward Jozy Altidore is suspended for Tuesday’s game after an 80th minute yellow card for pushing Johan Venegas. Other CONCACAF: Hirving Lozano scored in the 58th minute for host Mexico in a 1-0 victory over Panama that clinched a World Cup berth . ... Honduras won 2-1 at Trinidad and Tobago, getting goals from Alexander Lopez in the seventh minute and Alberth Elis in the 17th. Europe: Germany’s 2-1 win at the Czech Republic was the world champion’s seventh straight victory in qualifying. The Germans maintained a five-point lead over Northern Ireland atop Group C . ... England labored to a 4-0 win in Malta with three late goals to stay two points ahead of secondplace Slovakia, a 1-0 winner over visiting Slovenia, in Group F . ... Poland, the world’s No. 5-ranked team, lost 4-0 in Denmark and now leads Montenegro and the Danes by just three points in Group E. African qualifying: African champion Cameroon lost 4-0 at Group B leader Nigeria to damage its World Cup hopes, and Tunisia won the biggest battle of Group A by beating Congo 2-1 to take the top spot outright. Rooney charged: Everton striker Wayne Rooney was charged with drunken driving and was released on bail, police said. Rooney, 31, was reportedly stopped by police near his home outside Manchester, England, early Friday.