United States beats Costa Rica in a soccer match-snow

The only goal came within the minute 16 when midfielder Clint Dempsey, who debuted as captain of the United States team, shot from inside the area a ball badly rejected by the defender Roy Miller.

The English Tottenham player did not waste the opportunity to pierce the goal nets that the Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas defended, that he could do nothing to avoid the goal.

That was all the United States needed because snow completely covered the lawn at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park., de Comerce City (Colorado), long before the game started so it should not have been played, since the weather forecasts were that it would be snowing all night.

The goal made the United States play more calmly, had better control of the ball and looked for the second goal that in the end did not arrive, but it was closer than Costa Rica to getting the tie.

Both teams spent the first half trying to get used to playing on the snow, something nonsensical, and the second to survive, although to the minute 70 Costa Rica could have tied if the referee, Salvadoran Joel Aguilar, would not have annulled the one that Miller scored after bouncing the ball off Grahan Zusi.

The linesman pointed out the offside more than doubtful and Aguilar ignored him, so Costa Rica lost the clearest opportunity of the match, that to 55 minutes was temporarily suspended by Aguilar who consulted with both teams to see if they wanted to continue playing and then resumed.

The rest of the clash served to confirm that the United States team was better adapted to the terrible conditions that were given in the field and also had the luck to get the goal.

The victory had double value for the United States because they saved all three points in their field after having lost by 2-1 against Honduras in the first game of the hexagonal and will be able to travel to Mexico without pressure to face ‘Tri’ next Tuesday at the Azteca stadium.

While Costa Rica, that achieved a tie to two with Panama on the opening day, will play at home in San José and will face the Jamaica team.