Costa Rica 2 - 0 USA summary: scores, stats and highlights, 2022 World Cup qualifying
The USMNT qualified to the World Cup despite 2-0 defeat
What a performance from Costa Rica in the last batch of the World Cup qualifiers in CONCACAF. Los Ticos knew that if they wanted to qualify to Qatar they needed to win all three games to at least finish in fourth place and make it to the intercontinental play-off game against New Zealand.
Well mission accomplished for Costa Rica because they defeated Canada, El Salvador and the United States to secure the fourth place. Los Ticos started the final round by hosting Canada and won 1-0. This was Les Rouge's first defeat in 12 fixtures and then they went on the road to defeat El Salvador 2-1 to move up to fourth place.
In the last fixture, Costa Rica knew that in order to qualify directly to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they needed to defeat the United States by a six goal difference, a task that seemed almost impossible. Los Ticos were so determined and so close to make it happen, but fell short because they defeated the USMNT 2-0.
With this result the United States directly qualifies to Qatar 2022 and they will be in Pot 2 and if Costa Rica defeats New Zealand, they will be in Pot 4. The World Cup draw will take place on Friday to determine the future of the 32 teams in the group stage.
The game has ended! Costa Rica stunned the United states with a 2-0 win at Estadio Nacional and they will now play against New Zealand in an intercontinental play-off game to determine which team will qualify to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Thanks for watching the minute by minute with AS.com.
Four minutes added of stoppage time.
That is it for Christian Pulisic.
The 23-year-old comes out and Jordan Morris takes his place with a little less than ten minutes left.
More subs for Costa Rica
No more Keylor Navas for tonight. The PSG goalkeeper got injured a few minutes ago and couldn't continue playing.
Gio Reyna makes a solo play down the right flank and as he entered the box he shoots from a tight angle, but the ball went wide.
What an amazing through ball from Gio Reyna to Christian Pulisic near the box and the Chelsea ace makes a low cross fro Yunus Musah, but his shot from the penalty spot was deflected by a defender from Costa Rica.
More subs for Costa Rica
Subs for Costa Rica
More subs for the USA national team
Costa Rica with another goal! Time to start worrying yet for USA fans? A sloppy play from the home side following a corner kick and Anthony Contreras scored the second goal of the night.
Costa Rica with another goal! Time to start worrying yet for USA fans?
GOL! GOAL! GOLAZO! Costa Rica scores first at home, but could they score more?
Juan Pablo Vargas with a powerful header beats everyone following a corner kick and beats Zack Steffen to find the back of the net.
First substitution of the night
Miles Robinson again! Constant threat for the USMNT in each set piece. This time the defender goes up and headed the ball following a free kick from Christian Pulisic, but Navas made a fantastic diving save.
Costa Rica looking to qualify to their third consecutive World Cup.
The second half started at Estadio Nacional.
The first half has ended with a scoreless draw. We will be back for the second 45 minutes.
Kellyn Acosta shoots the free kick from a long range, but it got deflected by the wall.
First shot on target for Costa Rica right after the half an hour mark. Brandon Aguilera shot from the distance, but Zack Steffen didn't struggle to control the ball.
Kellyn Acosta one-time hit the ball from outside the box following a rebound, but the ball hit a defender from Costa Rica before reaching Keylor Navas.
Miles Robinson has been a threat in every corner kick and this last one the defender headed the ball, but it went over the goal this time.
Free kick for Costa Rica after a foul from Miles Robinson, but Walker Zimmerman was able to clear the danger away.
Ricardo Pepi makes a powerful strike with his right foot following a through ball inside the box from Tim Weah, but once again Keylor Navas punched the ball away. The captain from Costa Rica is having a busy night!
The USA national team was so close to score the first one of the night. Miles Robinson volleyed the ball from inside the box following a corner kick, but Keylor Navas was right there to prevent the ball from finding the back of the net.
The USA tries again! This time DeAndre Yedlin makes a cross from the right flank and as Ricardo Pepi was getting ready to head the ball, Keylor Navas anticipated the play and punched the ball away.
Second attempt on goal for the USA national team. Miles Robinson was able to head the ball following the corner kick, but again a weak strike and it was easy to control for Keylor Navas.
The first corner kick of the match is for the USMNT.
Aggressive start from the USMNT pushing up high. Ricardo Pepi one-time hit the ball inside the box, following a cross from the left flank, but his shot was weak and easy to control for Keylor Navas.
And away we go! The game has started between Costa Rica and the USMNT. This is the last fixture of the World Cup qualifiers in CONCACAF.
The golden generation of the United States could be one of the biggest surprises in the upcoming World Cup and fans are well aware of that so they are already looking to support their team in Qatar. On Wednesday, FIFA announced that 804,186 tickets for matches at the World Cup have been sold in the first phase and the United States is among the countries that have bought the most seats.
Unless they suffer a complete disaster, the USMNT will automatically book their place at 2022 World Cup later on Wednesday in their final CONCACAF qualifying match. Gregg Berhalter’s team take on Costa Rica needing a win or a draw to secure one of the three automatic qualifying berths. Only in the extremely unlikely event of losing to Costa Rica by six goals or more, could shunt the USA down to to fourth place. The chances of that happening are slim to say the least - the last time the USMNT suffered such a heavy defeat was in April 1957 when they were thrashed 6-0 by Mexico.
It's just a ball, right? Don't even dare think about it as simply as that. This is the latest in the evolution of the World Cup football, the one (well, there are actually many) that will be used at Qatar 2022. And, as tradition dictates, it has a name: Al Rihla.
The USA national team are on the cusp of qualifying for the Qatar World Cup which starts in November this year.
With a 4-0 home win over Jamaica, Canada became the first CONCACAF nation to seal their place in Qatar with the USA currently sitting second in CONCACAF’s eight-team final qualifying group, from which three countries will qualify automatically for Qatar 2022. The fourth-placed finisher will go into an inter-confederation playoff against the winner of Oceania’s qualifying tournament.
Christian Pulisic led the United States to defeat Panama on Sunday with a hat-trick and an assist. Now, the USMNT is on the brink of securing a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup with one game left in the round-robin tournament.
With his exhibition over the weekend, the 23-year-old tallied five goals in the World Cup qualifiers in CONCACAF, more than any Mexican striker in 13 match days. Christian Pulisic has helped the USMNT score 21 goals so far this tournament with goals and assists, while Mexico tallies 15 in the same amount of games.
Keylor Navas is arguably the best goalkeeper in the history of CONCACAF and prior to the final batch of the World Cup qualifiers in CONCACAF, he confirmed that this could be his ‘last dance.’ At 35-years-old, Navas has helped Costa Rica reach a top-four finish in the round-robin tournament and they need to beat the United States 6-0 to qualify directly to Qatar 2022.
This could be Navas’ ‘last dance’ at international level with Costa Rica and he aims to play in one more World Cup before retiring from the national team. If Los Ticos end up in fourth place after hosting the USMNT on Wednesday, they will play an intercontinental play-off game against New Zealand to secure their ticket for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which means it would be the last international tournament for Navas.
The United States have virtually qualified for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and will play their final fixture in the round-robin tournament on Wednesday against Costa Rica. The USMNT needs to win, draw or avoid losing by six goals or more against Los Ticos to qualify directly.
The USMNT will be desperate to avoid going into the intercontinental play-off series against New Zealand/Solomon Islands but the history books suggest US fans should rest easy.
Where to watch
Costa Rica has just arrived at the Estadio Nacional with an amazing atmosphere outside the ground.
Estadio Nacional in perfect conditions
Keylor Navas leads Costa Rica's starting XI and this will be his last home game in World Cup qualifiers. The end of an era as Los Ticos try to qualify directly to Qatar 2022 and avoid the intercontinental play-off game against New Zealand.
Over 14 matches during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, the USMNT Starting XI averaged 23 years, 302 days – the youngest in team history. The previous youngest came during 1990 qualifying, averaging 24 years, 66 days over 10 matches.
Pepi admiring Estadio Nacional
The United States men's national team are tantalizingly close to punching their ticket to the Qatar World Cup but will be taking nothing for granted when they face Costa Rica on the road on Wednesday in their final CONCACAF qualifier.
It would take nothing short of a catastrophe to derail the Stars and Stripes, who would earn their spot at the 2022 World Cup with either a win, a draw or a loss by less than six goals.
The United States men’s national team are on the cusp of sealing their World Cup return as they travel to Costa Rica in the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
After thumping Panama 5-1 on Sunday, with Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic scoring a hat-trick, the USMNT sit second in the group with 25 points, three ahead of the fourth-placed Costa Ricans. The top three qualify automatically, while as it stands Los Ticos would go into an inter-confederation playoff against a team from Oceania in June.
Welcome for the minute by minute between the United States men's national team against Costa Rica at Estadio Nacional. This is the last fixture of the World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF and the USMNT needs to win, draw or not to lose by a six goal difference to qualify directly to Qatar 2022.
Christian Pulisic scored a hat-trick for the USMNT as they convincingly beat Panama 5-1 on Sunday night in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Pulisic’s first career USMNT hat-trick included his 19th, 20th and 21st international goals and 10th, 11th and 12th in World Cup qualifying.
The USA sit in second position in the standings, level on 25 points with Mexico. Canada currently top the group and have already qualified for this winter's World Cup.