USA 0-2 Costa Rica
With only a few football games remaining in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, Costa Rica increased their chances of making it to Russia 2018 while the job gets harder for the United States of America.
Considering the USA’s Gold Cup title-clinching bid last July, betting odds favour them heading into this crucial matchup. After all, they beat the Costa Ricans then en route to a 14-game unbeaten run.
However, Oscar Ramirez and his men showed the Red Bull Arena crowd that they are not the same team back then and instead had a rejuvenation of sorts, giving a throwback performance that made the live betting faithful remember their 4-0 thrashing of the Americans in November last year.
Indeed, it was a classic and clinical performance from Los Ticos, scoring on either side of halftime and taking full advantage of the USA’s surprisingly weak and rusty defence.
Marco Ureña was the hero for the visiting side as he scored both of their goals to keep them in firm control of second place.
The 27-year-old striker led Costa Rica to a fine start, opening the scoring at the half-hour mark with an excellent solo effort past the defenders and USA goalie Tim Howard.
Then in the 82nd minute, Ureña finished the USA off after David Guzman teed him up to send a rocket from the top of the box.
The USA, of course, were always in search of the leveller and looked dangerous at times. However, their struggles at the back doomed them and denied them any chance of a comeback.
Rising USA star Christian Pulisic had a golden opportunity in the 67th minute when the score was at 1-0, but Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas produced a spectacular deflection save to keep the red, white and blue scoreless until time expires.
With the result, Costa Rica are now with 14 points, just three points below first-placed Mexico.
The USA, on the other hand, remain third with eight points, but now tie with Honduras who won their game against Trinidad and Tobago 2-1.
Only the top three teams will automatically qualify for the 2018 World Cup, so the stakes are high for the Stars and Stripes when they visit Honduras next weekend.
For the latest sports update, promotions and betting picks with SBOBET get social with our official Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Facebook accounts. Visit SBOBET and join us now. Start placing your bets today!
Click for more football betting options.
