US Soars to Gold Cup Semis After Penalty Thriller

The United States men’s national soccer team dramatically advanced to the Concacaf Gold Cup semi-finals after a penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica. The intense match saw the US triumph after a 2-2 draw, setting the stage for a Wednesday clash against Guatemala.

Downs Seals the Deal

The decisive moment arrived when Damion Downs scored in the sixth round of penalties. This sealed the win after a stellar performance by Matt Freese, who made three crucial saves. The US team is now set to face Guatemala in the next round.

The US coach, Mauricio Pochettino, praised his team’s character, stating, They showed today great character.

Freese’s Heroics

Freese proved pivotal, blocking attempts by Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo, and Andy Rojas during the shootout, resulting in a 4-3 victory for the United States. Freese, who had studied penalties beforehand, shared his confidence in the process.

In fact, 41% of all penalties in professional football are saved by the goalie. (ESPN, 2024)

Match Summary

Diego Luna and Max Arfsten scored during regular time for the US. Alonso Martinez equalized for Costa Rica, setting up the penalty drama after Concacaf eliminated extra time for this tournament, except the final match.

John Tolkin‘s attempt was saved by Keylor Navas in the fifth round. Freese then denied Rojas, leading to Downs‘ winning shot.

The US is fielding a squad missing key players like Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, who were unavailable for the competition.

Costa Rica’s Challenges

Costa Rica faced their own difficulties. They played without Manfred Ugalde and Carlos Mora due to suspensions, while Ariel Lassiter and Warren Madrigal were sidelined by injuries.

Calvo added a penalty in the 12th minute. Costa Rica’s Malik Tillman missed a penalty, with Navas blocking Arfsten’s rebound attempt.

Luna scored in the 43rd minute, followed by Arfsten‘s goal early in the second half, putting the US in the lead again.