06/29/25 08:36:00
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06/29 20:34 CDT US gets past Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarterfinals on penalty
kicks
US gets past Costa Rica in Gold Cup quarterfinals on penalty kicks
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- Damion Downs scored in the sixth round of a shootout after
three saves by Matt Freese, sending the U.S. to the semifinals of the CONCACAF
Gold Cup with a 4-3 penalty-kicks win over Costa Rica after a a 2-2 tie on
Sunday night.
The U.S. advanced to a Wednesday matchup in St. Louis against Guatemala, which
upset Canada on penalty kicks in the opener of the quarterfinal doubleheader.
Mexico plays Honduras in the other semifinal on Wednesday in Santa Clara,
California. The championship is in Houston on July 6.
The U.S. has reached the semifinals in 17 of 18 Gold Cups, including 13
straight since a quarterfinal loss to Colombia on penalty kicks in 2000.
Diego Luna and Max Arfsten scored in regulation for the U.S., which faced its
highest-ranked opponent of the tournament in Costa Rica (54th) after breezing
through the group stage with an 8-1 goal differential.
Alonso Martinez scored the tying goal for the Ticos in the 71st minute with a
left-footed shot after Carlos Mora split Luca de La Torre and Arsten to take a
shot on Freese and seize the rebound to set up Martinez.
CONCACAF changed the rules for this edition of the biennial championship for
North America, Central America and the Caribbean, eliminating extra time except
for the championship game.
John Tolkin had the first chance to win the shootout for the U.S. Keylor Navas
knocked down his try in the fifth round. Freese then denied Andy Rojas with a
diving hand, climbing to his feet while nodding his head and sticking out his
tongue toward his cheering teammates at midfield. That set up the winner by the
20-year-old Downs.
Missing the tournament for the U.S. are regulars Christian Pulisic, Yunus
Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun
and Sergio Dest, due to a variety of reasons from injuries to rest to Club
World Cup commitments.
The Ticos played without four key players. Forward Manfred Ugalde, who had
three goals in the tournament, and midfielder Carlos Mora were suspended for
yellow-card accumulation. Defender Ariel Lassiter (broken left hand) and
forward Warren Madrigal (broken left leg) were sidelined by injuries.
Three of Costa Rica's six goals during the group stage came by penalty kick,
and Francisco Calvo added another one in the 12th minute after a foul by
Arsten. Calvo went low to zip the ball just out of reach of a diving Freese.
Malik Tillman, who had three group stage goals, put a 37th-minute penalty kick
off a post and Navas knocked away Arfsten's attempt off the rebound.
Luna picked him up with his first goal in international competition by
rocketing a shot off the chest of defender Alexis Gamboa for the equalizer in
the 43rd minute.
Tillman made amends for his miss early in the second half by poking a pass
ahead for Arfsten, who surged in from the left wing to send the ball into the
opposite corner for the lead.
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