The U.S. men’s national team clawed its way into the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.
Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty kick for the USMNT while goalkeeper Matt Freese made three saves in a 4-3 shootout victory over Costa Rica. The teams played out a 2-2 scoreline in regulation before needing spot kicks to find a winner.
Costa Rica struck first in the 12th minute as Francisco Calvo slotted home from the penalty spot. Left back Max Arfsten lunged into Kenneth Vargasgiving The Ticos the opportunity to grab an early lead.
It marked the first time the USMNT trailed in the Gold Cup this summer.
The USMNT had a golden opportunity to tie things up with a penalty kick of their own in the 33rd minute. VAR called for a penalty after Costa Rica defender Juan Pablo Vargas slid into Malik Tillman after Tillman delivered a cross in the box.
However, the PSV midfielder watched his shot strike the left post, keeping Costa Rica in front.
Diego Luna stepped up before halftime though, delivering his first USMNT goal to tie things up. Luna’s strike deflected off of Alexis Gamboa and into the back of the net for a 1-1 equalizer.
That momentum boost carried over into the second half as Arfsten propelled the USMNT in front only 90 seconds after halftime. Patrick Agyemang held up possession at the top of the Costa Rica box before finding Tillman, who then played Arfsten into the box for a curling effort.
Costa Rica did not lie down though and eventually pulled itself back into the match with 20 minutes to play. Carlos Mora cut into the box past Arfsten and Luca De La Torre before delivering a shot that Matt Freese saved.
However, the rebound fell to Alonso Martinez, who volleyed the rebound into the top-left corner.
Martinez came close to winning the match for Costa Rica in the 85th minute but watched his right-footed missile strike the right post.
Freese stepped up for the USMNT in the shootout, denying Juan Vargas, Calvo, and Andy Rojas in the second, fifth, and sixth rounds respectively. Despite Sebastian Berhalter’s miss and John Tolkin being denied by the 38-year-old Navas, Downs scored the decisive penalty kick to send the USMNT into the final four.
The USMNT will face Guatemala in the semifinal round on Wednesday in St. Louis. Guatemala pulled a major upset earlier in the day on Sunday, eliminating Canada in a penalty-kick shootout of their own.
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