Costa Rica 3-1 USA (San Jose, CR)
USMNT went down to 2 goals after only 10 minutes, and despite Dempsey pk right before half time, the Costarican team finished on top with a third goal entering the last 15 minutes of the game. It is a setback after such an amazing winning and undefeated run; but also Costa Rica now take the lead on top of CONCACAF zone. Next game vs Mexico will be crucial! USA vs Mexico and more sports betting odds on soccer are open with this new round of coming qualifiers.
Donovan and Howard spoke to the press after the game:
U.S. Men’s National Team Forward LANDON DONOVAN
On losing Michael Bradley from the starting lineup:
“It’s not an excuse but it hurts. This team has in large part been built around Michael and that hurts. We lose a leader and a good player but that doesn’t account for how we started and how we played. We still needed to do better than that.”
On the team’s performance at the end of the first half and into the second:
“We were a little bummed that halftime came because we were playing well and got back in the game. Second half we started well and we had Clint’s good chance that hit the post. We did well to get back into the game and then we had one play where we fell asleep a little and that’s what qualifying is. You have to make your chances or you if don’t you can get punished.”
On the ups and downs of qualifying:
“Every time this process goes on it’s never easy, always unpredictable. There are a lot of ups and downs. We’ve been on ups recently and now this is a down. We’ll have to see how we recover and see what we’re made of.
We’re playing Mexico in a must win game for there and we need to see how we respond.”
On dealing with yellow cards and suspensions:
“Part of qualifying is how much depth you have but we feel confident about other guys stepping in and doing a job. There are guys who have wanted to play and maybe deserve to play and now they’ll have a chance.”
U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper TIM HOWARD
On the team’s poor start:
“We were just disappointed in the way we came out. They got their fair share of luck and we didn’t help ourselves.”
On playing at Estadio Nacional instead of Saprissa:
“It’s a great place to play and the field was fantastic. It was always going to be a difficult environment but it was certainly a much better place to play.”
On the mood of the team after the loss:
“If we win and Honduras wins, we’re in the World Cup. The mood’s been positive because of how the results went. We’ve been on a run the last four or five months and dug out a lot of results we shouldn’t have.
Tonight was a bridge too far and you have to give them a lot of credit.”
On suspensions and how the team will have to reshuffle:
“We’re going to have to have guys step up, there’s no question. I think we’ve talked about it over the last three years: we build toward this every game, so a guy can step in and not miss a beat and get the cohesion right.”
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