USMNT downs Costa Rica 4-0 behind goals from four different players
SANDY, Utah – The U.S. Men’s National Team tallied goals from four different players in a convincing 4-0 win against Costa Rica on Wednesday night in an international friendly played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
On the heels of winning the inaugural Concacaf Nations League Final three days earlier, the USMNT got goals from Gio Reyna, his fourth career goal, Brenden Aaronson, his third, and Daryl Dike and Reggie Cannon, who each notched their first international goals. Fresh off his heroic substitute appearance against Mexico in the Nations League Final, goalkeeper Ethan Horvath earned his second career clean sheet on his 26th birthday.
The 4-0 win matches the USA’s biggest victory over Costa Rica and closed out a run of four games in 10 days, simulating the match cadence the USMNT will experience during the upcoming three-match window during the World Cup Qualifying campaign, which kicks off in September.
Gregg Berhalter made nine changes from the Starting XI that began the Nations League Final, with center backs Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream as the lone holdovers. The changes didn’t alter the USA’s aggressive mentality, as they dominated possession for most of the 90 minutes.
Aaronson put the USA ahead before the 10th minute mark when he trailed a half-chance in the box and got on the end of a blocked shot off the foot of Dike, blasting his attempt past Costa Rican goalkeeper Leonel Moreira from eight yards out.
Making his first international start after two substitute appearances, Dike then made his chance count just before the half, running onto a through ball from McKenzie before placing his shot at the near post to double the lead.
The team stayed hungry after the break, with Cannon getting in on the attack as he tucked away his first career goal at the near post. Reyna came on in the second half and converted his own penalty kick to put the game away.
The USMNT now sets its sights on the Concacaf Gold Cup in July, looking to earn its seventh tournament title. The USA was drawn into Group A with Canada, Martinique and a third team to be determined through pre-tournament qualifying, with their first game on July 11. The Gold Cup will serve as a prelude to the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, which will feature an eight-team final round to begin in September 2021.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
USA – BRENDEN AARONSON (UNASSISTED), 8th minute: The goal was a result of ball movement and awareness, as nine players touched the ball before Aaronson finished for the opening goal. The play started on the left side when Tim Ream won a ball and found Tim Weah near midfield, who played a short pass back to Yunus Musah and he quickly played it wide right to Reggie Cannon. Cannon played a safe ball back to Mark McKenzie who looked up and found Sebastian Lletget on the left channel near midfield. Lletget turned and sent a perfectly weighted through-ball to spring Antonee Robinson who picked out Dike inside the box. Dike’s shot was blocked and the ball fell to the trailing Aaronson who hit a hard high blast past the goalkeeper from eight yards out. USA 1, CRC 0
USA – DARYL DIKE (MARK MCKENZIE), 42nd minute: McKenzie again was involved in the play, only this time it led directly to the goal. With the defense pushed high, McKenzie was near midfield when he split two defenders – who were also playing high – with a low driven ball. Dike held his line and got behind the defense, letting the ball roll into the box and calmly waiting for Moreira to lean to his right before placing the ball at the near post to double the lead. USA 2, CRC 0
USA – REGGIE CANNON (UNASSISTED), 52nd minute: The defense-turned-offense continued, as Cannon did well to anticipate a pass high up the field. The right back picked off the ball and continued into the box, patiently waiting for a defender to slide in front before cutting the ball to his left and tucking a ball inside the near post for his first international goal. USA 3, CRC 0
USA – GIO REYNA (PENALTY KICK), 77th minute: Not long after coming into the match off, Reyna got into the box and with his back to goal, was tripped by a Costa Rican defender. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Reyna stepped up and calmly placed a ball to the left side as Moreira dove the other way for his second goal in two games. USA 4, CRC 0
KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYS AND SAVES:
CRC – LEONEL MOREIRA, 14th minute: With the score only 1-0 at the time, Costa Rica’s goalkeeper made a fantastic save to keep his team in the game. Developing the play on the right, Cannon found Dike inside the box. Dike’s first shot was blocked, but he settled the rebound and passed to top of box where Weah hit it first-time to right side of goal, forcing Moreira to react quickly and dive to his left to make the one-handed save.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Tim Ream (45), Sebastian Lletget (24), Reggie Cannon (18), Tyler Adams (14), Tim Weah (13), Antonee Robinson (12), Brenden Aaronson (7) Ethan Horvath (7), Mark McKenzie (6), Yunus Musah (6), Daryl Dike (3)
- Tonight’s Starting XI averaged 13 caps with an average age of 23 years, 278 days.
- The USA lineup represented clubs in eight different countries: Belgium (2), England (2), USA (2), Austria (1), France (1), Germany (1) Portugal (1), Spain (1),
- Seven starters appeared in the Nations League Final: Tyler Adams, Reggie Cannon, Ethan Horvath, Sebastian Lletget, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream and Tim Weah.
- Eight starters were age 23 or younger: Antonee Robinson (23); Tyler Adams, Reggie Cannon, Mark McKenzie (22); Tim Weah, Daryl Dike (21), Brenden Aaronson (20); Yunus Musah (18)
- Tyler Adams captained the USMNT for the first time tonight. Adams is the 11th different player to wear the captain’s armband under Gregg Berhalter.
- The USMNT improved to 18-16-5 in the series with Costa Rica through a rich history of 38 matches played since 1975.
- The USMNT is 20-6-3 in 29 matches under Gregg Berhalter.
- As part of U.S. Soccer’s “One Nation” social responsibility efforts to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, the USMNT wore pride-inspired rainbow numbers during tonight’s match against Costa Rica. All game-issued jerseys will be put up for auction from June 12-26, with proceeds going to benefit the You Can Play Project.
– U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Costa Rica
Date: June 9, 2021
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 19,007
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local
Weather: 88 degrees; partly cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 2 4
CRC 0 0 0
USA – Brenden Aaronson 8th minute
USA – Daryl Dike (Mark McKenzie) 42
USA – Reggie Cannon 52
USA – Gio Reyna (Penalty Kick) 77
Lineups:
USA: 12-Ethan Horvath; 20-Reggie Cannon; 15-Mark McKenzie (3-Walker Zimmerman, 45); 13-Tim Ream; 5-Antonee Robinson (2-Sergiño Dest, 82); 18-Yunus Musah (23-Kellyn Acosta, 75); 4-Tyler Adams (Capt.) (14-Jackson Yueil, 62); 17-Sebastian Lletget; 21-Tim Weah (7-Gio Reyna, 74); 24-Daryl Dike (6-Jordan Siebatcheu, 75); 11-Brenden Aaronson
Subs not used: 19-David Ochoa; 8-Weston McKennie; 9-Josh Sargent; 10-Christian Pulisic; 22-DeAndre Yedlin
Head coach: Gregg Berhalter
CRC: 23- Leonel Moreira; 4-Keysher Fuller; 3-Aaron Salazar (11-Randall Leal, 45); 19-Giancarlo Gonzalez; 15-Francisco Calvo (Capt.); 22-Joseph Mora; 20-Gerson Torres (2-Ariel Lassiter, 45); 17-Yeltsin Tejeda (8-Bryan Oviedo, 75); 14-Bernald Alfaro (5-Celso Borges, 45); 12-Joel Campbell (13-Allan Cruz, 64); 7-Johan Venegas (9-Jurguens Montenegro, 64)
Subs not used: 18-Patrick Sequeira
Head coach: Ronald Gonzalez Brenes
Stats Summary: USA / CRC
Shots: 11 / 8
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 5 / 0
Fouls: 13 / 18
Offside: 1 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Mark McKenzie (Caution) 37th minute
CRC – Keysher Fuller (Caution) 76
Officials:
Referee: Tristley Bassue (SKN)
AR1: Jermaine Yee-Sing (JAM)
AR2: Jesus Ike Innis (SKN)
4th Official: Melvin Matamoros (HON)
U.S. Soccer Insiders Man of the Match: Brenden Aaronson
