Jesus Ferreira’s goal in the 35th minute was one of the only positive points for the United States’ under-23s, who nonetheless won three points from lively Costa Rica at the opening of the qualifiers for the CONCACAF Olympics in Mexico on Thursday .
The Yankees had many results chosen in their pocket for Costa Rica, often in their own third, but the three points, often critical, in the opening of the group made Jason Kreis’s team look good for the semifinals thanks to a David Ochoa’s series of saves and (mostly) constant performances by defender Justen Glad and midfielder Jackson Yueill.
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The two semifinal winners win places at the Olympics, and the United States has lost three of the last four. This victory, make no mistake, is great.
Mexico may feel like a big winner due to the performance of the Yankees, but now it can also be more cautious with a Los Ticos side that was anything but doubtful.
1. Warning signs everywhere, but the US is starting to win
With 1 to 0 in the range, the Yankees would be tied a few times if it weren’t for David Ochoa.
The 20-year-old Real Salt Lake goalkeeper was not perfect, missing his foot in an unstable shot after 52 minutes, but his seven saves in the first 51 minutes kept the Yankees ahead of Los Ticos despite a myriad of errors at the back.
At one point, RSL teammate Justen Glad hit a low ball from the right side of his own third, directly to a Costa Rican player 15 meters from the arc. The other RSL defender Aaron Herrera also made some mistakes, and Ochoa must have wondered if this was some kind of intra-club joke (although Glad was good on the day).
And, honestly, it could have been 1-1 long before a corner in the 39th minute, but two Costa Rican strikers were offside when a hopeful ball was headed over the block and crossed the goal line.
MLS veterinarians Randall Leal (Nashville) and Luis Diaz (Columbus) were among the Under-23s, and Kreis should be happy that his clumsy kids scored three points. Los Ticos hit the post at close range from a late corner, although Fernan Faerron was offside.
2. Opening the goal calms the nerves … a little
Hassani Dotson’s impulse towards a Sam Vines cross meant that neither he nor Costa Rica’s right defender could find the ball, and Ferreira hit the post to deliver the threatening message he sent when he hit the post in the second minute.
Ferreira, however, was injured when trying to hit a Hassani Dotson on the ball and Kreis hopes it will simply be a scare because the FC Dallas striker hit four of the Yankees’ seven shots in 67 minutes, completing all of his eight passes.
⚽️ Purpose @USYNT! 🇺🇸 Jesús Ferreira scores the first goal of the match! United States 1 – 0 @fedefutbolcrc | #CMOQ pic.twitter.com/U3IJ487BV0
– Concacaf (@Concacaf) March 18, 2021
3. The good news is another good match for Mexico, two before the semifinals
A victory is a victory and the Yankees will be the favorites to overtake the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
And anyone who enters the field in that game can argue to start against Mexico on Wednesday, because very few have done enough to shout “full-time starter” to Kreis.
And honestly? Thursday’s victory over Costa Rica is likely to be enough for a place in the semifinal, and that March 28 game against Honduras, Canada, El Salvador or Haiti is what will decide the two CONCACAF participants at the Tokyo Games.
Kreis and his men have 180 minutes to get this right.
US Under 23 vs. Costa Rica Player Rankings
David Ochoa: 8 – Some risky moments, but his nine defenses are the reason for his victory.
Sam Vines: 5 – It was good in the attack, but there were some difficult moments in defense. Lost in nine of 27 passes.
Justen Glad: 8 – A big mistake can bring you down, but several blocks and blocks that save the goal say it would be hard.
Mauricio Pineda: 6 – Costa Rica pushed on its side and Pineda joined Vines to appear hesitant.
Aaron Herrera: 5 – Too many risks.
Jackson Yueill: 7 – Stable as you expected from an experienced metronome.
Djordje Mihailovic (Off 59 ′): 5 – Expected more from the experienced star.
Hassani Dotson (Off 82 ′): 7 – Powerful, intoxicating and dangerous, although without finishing.
Benji Michel (Off 59 ′): 5 – He worked hard, but struggled to find his balance.
Jonathan Lewis (Off 83 ′): 6 – More industry and a big one more incisive than Michel.
Jesus Ferreira (Off 67 ′): 7 – Decreased one point because he could easily have scored two or three goals instead of one.
Subs
Andres Perea (Em 59 ′): 7 – Resistant and stable.
Sebastian Saucedo (On 59 ′): 5 – The opposite of Perea
Sebastian Soto (On 67 ′): 6 – On an island.
Johnny Cardoso (in 82 ′): N / A
Julian Araujo (On 83 ′): N / A