EAST HARTORD, Ct. – The U.S. came into last night’s Gold Cup game against Costa Rica looking for a statement, itching to prove their snowy March win over the Ticos was no fluke. And it took just 18 lightning-fast seconds for the makeshift U.S. to flip what could’ve been a loss into a record-setting 1-0 win.
The U.S. turned a huge Sean Johnson save on one end into a Brek Shea counterattack goal on the other. A shutout by the former and the first international goal by the latter clinched Group C for the U.S., and yet another big win over the Ticos before 25,432 at Rentschler Field.
“They could’ve said it’s OK, we’ve won the group with a tie. But a tie is not fine with us, so the team pushed and grinded it to the last minute and got a beautiful goal. We’re happy: First place, nine points and you can see there’s chemistry developing that’s fun to watch,’’ said Jurgen Klinsmann, whose team sent a message to Costa Rica before their Sept. 6 World Cup qualifier.
“I made it clear there was a lot at stake. It’s Costa Rica. We want a benchmark. We want to send them a signal. We might meet them again.’’
The U.S. had already clinched a quarterfinal berth against El Salvador Sunday at 7 p.m. in Baltimore; and all they had to win the group was not lose by more than three goals. But Costa Rica packed in with five defenders and nearly stole a win.
Former Red Bull Carlos Johnson headed Celso Borges’ corner on frame, a vicious blast that Johnson somehow saved. Herculez Gomez kept the ball alive to Joe Corona, who cleared it out to Landon Donovan for a blistering counterattack.
Donovan threaded a perfect through ball to a sprinting Shea. The big winger had suffered through a horrible game against Cuba, subbed off at halftime. But Klinsmann went back to him last night, and Shea repaid that faith by outrunning defender Giancarlo Gonzalez and putting a left-footed shot past GK Patrick Pemberton for the 82nd minute winner.
“I remember Sean making a great save and then I remember someone playing Landon. I saw all the green grass and thought just be there in case someone finds me,’’ said Shea, who admitted he didn’t expect to play last night.
“I felt good. I just wanted to get back out there: That was the only way to get rid of the last game. I felt good to be out there and glad we got the win…It makes me feel good that he has that confidence in me, still believe in me and put me out there and not give up on me.’’
Shea’s goal was the first Costa Rica had allowed in 785 minutes, and ironically the last time team to break through had been the U.S. in a snowy 1-0 World Cup qualifying win. The Costa Rican federation filed a protest over the blizzard conditions in Denver that day; now the U.S. backed that with another win, a team-record eighth straight.
“Any national team wins eight in a row is a special accomplishment. Hopefully by the end of the tournament its 11 in a row,’’ said Donovan, who took note of Costa Rica’s defensive approach. “Sometimes in a game where a team has its whole team playing defensively, you’ve got to find one moment to make a special play and we were able to do that.
“It was a little peculiar tonight that they had to win the game to win the group they had no desire to go forward and attack, which was interesting. But that’s what we’re going to face in this tournament, and probably face in qualifying at times.’’