Columbus, Ohio, October 14 (BUS): Tim Weah scored with a shot that hit the goalkeeper in the 66th minute after Serginio Dest started the comeback after being late in the first minute, and the United States beat Costa Rica 2-1. Wednesday evening to ease the pressure as World Cup qualifiers approach the halfway mark.
Goalkeeper Zach Stephen, one of nine new players brought in by coach Greg Berhalter after Sunday’s dismal 1-0 loss to Panama, leveled a costly header that led to Kesher Fuller’s goal in 60 seconds, the fastest goal the United States has conceded in 23 years, reports AP.
Dest, another new player for his rotation-focused coach, leveled in the 25th minute when he curled a curling ball past Keylor Navas.
“I was like, I have to shoot him,” Dest said. “I was very happy because we needed this goal. It was a really important goal.”
Navas, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, strained his adductor muscles and was replaced by Lionel Moreira at the start of the second half.
Weah, son of Liberia president George Weah, former FIFA Player of the Year, was not in the original starting line-up but was announced just before kick-off in place of Paul Areola, who injured his right thigh. He hooked it up when Weston McKinney passed over to Deist, who killed Weah. His shot from 10 yards bounced off a corner from Moreira’s dive and into the near post.
The US has 11 points after six of 14 games, and it remains their three toughest games – at home against Mexico on November 12 as well as away matches in Mexico and Costa Rica.
“Now we’re on the right track,” said Dest.
Costa Rica, the aging team with a starting lineup over 30 years old, has seven points. The Ticos have won their previous three qualifiers against the United States, helping to end a seven-game winning streak at the World Cup.
In subsequent matches, Canada hosted Panama, Honduras was at home against Jamaica, and El Salvador was at home against Mexico.
A pro-American crowd of 20165 attended the first $300 million international game as well as Lower.com Field, which opened in July.
Berhalter only retained 18-year-old midfielder Younes Moussa Weah, 21, from Sunday’s start.
Chris Richards, a 21-year-old defender, got his first competitive start as the Americans made their youngest squad for a World Cup qualifier with an average of 22 years and 229 days. That cut a 23-year, 85-day lead in a 4-1 win over Honduras on Sept. 8.
Matthew Hoppe and Gianluca Pusio entered the second half, joining Stephen and Richards to increase the United States’ playoff debut to 25 in this cycle, trailing only 1998 (29), 2006 and 2010 (26 each). Richards was only making his fourth international appearance.
Costa Rica started five players aged 32 and over. Navas made his 99th international appearance, while Celso Borges came in 144th. Ticos coach Luis Fernando Suarez kept nine key players from Sunday’s 2-1 win over El Salvador.
Ticos scored after Stephen, Ederson’s replacement at Manchester City, headed the ball to the right flank but over Dest. Brian Ruiz kept the ball in goal with a back-heeled pass to Ronald Mataretta, who dribbled from the side and crossed. Just outside the 6-yard area, Fuller hit his right foot, and the ball twice entered the far post to score his second international goal.
The United States has not recognized this early on since Ronald de Boer of the Netherlands scored an away goal from Alexei Lalas two minutes after a poor pass from Roy Figerley, which led to the Netherlands’ 2–0 split in Miami on February 21, 1998.
Dest finished a streak of eight straight runs without an American goal.
Oh, turn the ball to Musa on the right flank and pass it to Dest. Looking at the time and place, Dest took three touches as he cut toward the center. Dest hit the ball around Matarita with a left-footed shot just behind Navas’ right hand to net his second international goal.
The United States almost allowed another goal when Miles Robinson made a weak and slow back pass for Richards in the 56th minute, which was blocked by Ruiz. The 36-year-old Ruiz single-handedly pounced on Stephen but lacking pace at his age, Robinson managed to catch the ball and take it away.