It took more than an hour, but after dominating much of the run of play, the United States finally have a lead over Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, and it’s all thanks to Jozy Altidore.
Jozy Altidore scores opening goal in USA vs. Costa Rica
The USMNT finally have the lead they need in the semifinal.
Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images
It was a simple finish from Altidore, but it came off a quietly excellent little run off the Costa Rican defender that he left in his wake, but the composure and calm of it given the importance and pressure is excellent to see. Altidore hasn’t always been at his best in such situations, but he came up huge for the USMNT here.
And don’t overlook the assist from Clint Dempsey, either. He had only just come in off the bench a few minutes before, but was operating at full efficiency here, slipping one defender then splitting two more with his pass. The ball was beautifully weighted for Altidore to run on to, and Dempsey made his teammate’s job much easier because of it.
It’s a massively important lead for the U.S. to take, and it gives them a strong grasp on a place in the Gold Cup final. They’ve played well in this match, but they need a lot more of this if they’re going to win the tournament.
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