USMNT outlasts Costa Rica on penalties, reach Gold Cup semifinals

June 30, 2025

in Latest News

Reading Time: 2 mins read

The U.S. males’s nationwide crew clawed its means into the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.

Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty kick for the USMNT whereas goalkeeper Matt Freese made three saves in a 4-3 shootout victory over Costa Rica. The groups performed out a 2-2 scoreline in regulation earlier than needing spot kicks to discover a winner.

Costa Rica struck first within the twelfth minute as Francisco Calvo slotted house from the penalty spot. Left again Max Arfsten lunged into Kenneth Vargasgiving The Ticos the chance to seize an early lead.

It marked the primary time the USMNT trailed within the Gold Cup this summer season.

The USMNT had a golden alternative to tie issues up with a penalty kick of their very own within the thirty third minute. VAR known as for a penalty after Costa Rica defender Juan Pablo Vargas slid into Malik Tillman after Tillman delivered a cross within the field.

Nevertheless, the PSV midfielder watched his shot strike the left submit, retaining Costa Rica in entrance.

Diego Luna stepped up earlier than halftime although, delivering his first USMNT purpose to tie issues up. Luna’s strike deflected off of Alexis Gamboa and into the again of the online for a 1-1 equalizer.

That momentum enhance carried over into the second half as Arfsten propelled the USMNT in entrance solely 90 seconds after halftime. Patrick Agyemang held up possession on the high of the Costa Rica field earlier than discovering Tillman, who then performed Arfsten into the field for a curling effort.

Costa Rica didn’t lie down although and finally pulled itself again into the match with 20 minutes to play. Carlos Mora reduce into the field previous Arfsten and Luca De La Torre earlier than delivering a shot that Matt Freese saved.

Nevertheless, the rebound fell to Alonso Martinez, who volleyed the rebound into the top-left nook.

Martinez got here near profitable the match for Costa Rica within the eighty fifth minute however watched his right-footed missile strike the proper submit.

Freese stepped up for the USMNT within the shootout, denying Juan Vargas, Calvo, and Andy Rojas within the second, fifth, and sixth rounds respectively. Regardless of Sebastian Berhalter’s miss and John Tolkin being denied by the 38-year-old Navas, Downs scored the decisive penalty kick to ship the USMNT into the ultimate 4.

The USMNT will face Guatemala within the semifinal spherical on Wednesday in St. Louis. Guatemala pulled a significant upset earlier within the day on Sunday, eliminating Canada in a penalty-kick shootout of their very own.

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