US routs Costa Rica 4-0 to finish four-game stretch

SANDY, Utah — Brenden Aaronson scored in the eighth minute, Daryl Dike and Reggie Cannon added their first international goals and the United States beat Costa Rica 4-0 in an exhibition on Wednesday night to complete a grueling stretch of four games in 11 days.

Gio Reyna added a penalty kick in the 77th, three minutes after entering, in the last preparation match for most front-line American players before the pandemic-delayed start of World Cup qualifying in September.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter changed nine starters from the lineup he used to beat Mexico 3-2 in extra time on Sunday to win the first CONCACAF Nations League.

Europe-based players will go on their brief vacations and then skip next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup to report for preseason ahead of the 2021-22 club seasons.

The 20th-ranked U.S. improved 11-1-1 in its last 13 matches and won its 10th consecutive game against a regional opponent since a 2019 Nations League loss to Canada, matching the American high set in 2013. The Americans beat their top three regional rivals within a week.

Defender Mark McKenzie was the only player to start for the fourth straight game.

By resting many regulars, the U.S. used a lineup that figures to be far different from the one that will face the Ticos in World Cup qualifiers on Oct. 13 and March 30.

The 50th-ranked Ticos are winless in 11 games since 2019, with six losses and five draws that included a pair of penalty-kicks defeats.