Laken Litman
Faculty Soccer & Soccer Analyst
Matt Freese saved three penalty kicks and Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty because the U.S. males’s nationwide staff beat Costa Rica 4-3 in a dramatic six-round penalty shootout. Now, the Individuals will advance to the Gold Cup semifinals, the place they’ll face Guatemala on Wednesday, July 2 in St. Louis.
The USMNT confirmed depth, character and confidence in victory – traits the squad had not portrayed in fairly a while. After giving up an early purpose – a PK no much less – within the eleventh minute after a foul by Max Arfsten, the Individuals responded when Diego Luna scored his first worldwide purpose minutes earlier than halftime.
The U.S. took the lead when Arfsten scored within the first jiffy of the second half, basically making up for the error he made within the first. However later, he obtained beat and Costa Rica equalized 2-2.
With no additional time till the ultimate, the match went on to penalties following a impasse on the finish of regulation. And the USMNT got here out on high to maintain its Gold Cup trophy hopes alive.
United States vs. Costa Rica Full Penalties | 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Quarter Finals | FOX Soccer
Try each penalty kick on this matchup between the US and Costa Rica within the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarter Finals.
Listed below are takeaways from the match:
Matt Freese or Matty Ice?
There was some dialogue coming into the knockout spherical of this match that possibly supervisor Mauricio Pochettino would elect to begin the extra veteran Matt Turner in purpose over Freese, who has began each sport for the USMNT within the Gold Cup to date.
However when the lineups had been launched an hour earlier than kickoff, there was Freese in purpose once more.
Pochettino could be glad along with his determination, particularly after the way in which Freese stepped up in the course of the penalty shootout. The 26-year-old goalkeeper guessed proper 5 straight occasions and saved three pictures to assist ship the U.S. to the semifinal.
“Penalties are my factor,” Freese advised the FOX Sports activities broadcast after the sport. He mentioned he studied Costa Rica’s PK tendencies on the flight to Minneapolis and gave credit score to his goalkeeping coach.
“I used to be prepared,” Freese mentioned.
Freese posted consecutive clear sheets to begin this match, then overcame a mistake that led to a purpose in opposition to Haiti and redeemed himself additional along with his efficiency on this quarterfinal. Is he now the favourite to be the USMNT’s beginning goalkeeper at subsequent summer time’s World Cup?
“It’s not on the forefront of my thoughts,” Freese mentioned forward of the quarterfinal. “What I’m targeted on is that every new sport is one other alternative and we have now a giant sport developing this weekend that we’re targeted on.”
USMNT’s Matt Freese discusses game-winning efficiency vs. Costa Rica: ‘Penalties are my factor’
Matt Freese mentioned his game-winning efficiency throughout penalty kicks for the US vs. Costa Rica.
A younger American staff responds
The USMNT discovered itself in a gap early when Costa Rica transformed a penalty within the eleventh minute after Arfsten lunged towards Kenneth Vargas, tackling him within the field. Francisco Calvo stepped as much as the spot and nailed his shot previous Matt Freese into the underside proper nook to present his staff a 1-0 lead.
This was Costa Rica’s first assault of the day and so they made probably the most of it. The query instantly turned to how the U.S. would reply after an early mistake.
Within the thirty second minute, the Individuals had been awarded a PK of their very own, however Malik Tillman hit the submit as a substitute of leveling the rating. Issues obtained chippy after the miss, and U.S. gamers defended one another – Freese even ran all the way in which down the sector to place his arm round and console Tillman.
Over the following jiffy, the USMNT put the strain on and created a number of scoring alternatives. In the end, Luna took a shot that deflected off Alexis Gamboa and sailed previous veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas to tie the sport, 1-1.
After all the sport wasn’t over at that time. The U.S. went up 2-1 early within the second half earlier than Costa Rica equalized, which finally despatched the match right into a shootout.
Now that the USMNT has superior to the semis, what does it have to do to maintain its momentum?
“Win once more,” Freese advised the published afterward. “That’s the one approach to construct.”
Guatemala pulls off upset vs. Canada
Penalty kicks had been the theme of the day. Earlier than the U.S. and Costa Rica’s tense end, Guatemala pulled off a large upset over Canada after a seven-round penalty shootout within the first sport of the day.
Canada’s Luc Rollet’s shot flew off the crossbar after which Jose Morales buried the game-winner to ship Guatemala to the semifinals.
Earlier than the sport obtained to that time, the Reds held a 1-0 lead following Jonathan David’s conversion from the spot within the thirtieth minute. However proper earlier than halftime, ahead Jacob Shaffelburg was ejected after he was proven his second yellow card, forcing his squad to minimize a person within the second half. Canada held on for some time, till Rubio Rubin scored the tying purpose with a header within the 69th minute.
Now, Guatemala will face the U.S. within the semifinal on Wednesday, July 2 in St. Louis.
Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA At the moment and The Indianapolis Star. She is the writer of “Sturdy Like a Lady,” revealed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Comply with her at @LakenLitman.
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