The U.S. men’s national team recorded a 3-0 win over CONCACAF rivals Costa Rica on Wednesday in Orlando. It was the second consecutive win for Mauricio Pochettino’s reserve squad. Goals from Brian White, Caden Clark and Patrick Agyemang spearheaded the team’s second consecutive win in less than a week.
The U.S. team started its January camp matches last Saturday with a 3-1 win over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Pochettino will be pleased with the side’s effort and comprehension of his ideas. Across two matches, the U.S. was generally well-organized and committed to Pochettino’s high-intensity style of play. The Americans were sharper and more direct than both of their opponents, both of whom fielded experimental teams.
But for Pochettino, the objective was to win both matches. It sounds simple, but the Argentine head coach has made a habit of referring to the expectation to win that dominates American sports culture. Against Costa Rica, creative midfielder Diego Luna, a player who has not yet maximized his opportunities with the national team, produced the first goal of the night. After taking an inadvertent elbow to his nose in the 17th minute, which left him bloodied, the Real Salt Lake No. 10 threaded a pass to White three minutes later.
After the match, Pochettino told TNT’s crew exactly what the conversation with Luna on the sideline sounded like.
“I was very surprised because his nose was broken,” said Pochettino. “I didn’t want to say too much. He said ‘Please coach let me keep playing.’ I asked the doctor who said it was okay. The first action (Luna) had an assist and we scored. I said ‘big balls.’ He showed great character.”
In his first start with the national team since 2022, goalkeeper Zack Steffen made two spectacular saves to keep Costa Rica at bay, including an opposite-hand save while fully stretched. It was a solid performance for Steffen whose form has gradually gotten better since joining the Colorado Rapids in 2024. Steffen was supported by an experienced back line that featured Miles Robinson, Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman.
In the 78th minute, Clark smashed a left-footed strike into the top corner of the Costa Rican net to end a spell of disjointed play from both teams. Poor giveaways and sloppy play affected the second half, but Clark and Ageymang put the game on ice. It was a fair result.
“We are very very happy. It was a good performance, very professional,” Pochettino told TNT after the match. “To work with new players and try to find the way to perform with good lines and the quality we showed today, this team when I watch, it looks like we’ve worked (together) for six months. The attitude and capacity to adapt to new ideas has been amazing. The (players) are pushing to be in the national team.”
January camp has come to an end and while not many headlines were made over the last month, plenty of players earned valuable minutes under the new U.S. manager. Pochettino and his staff will now focus on preparation for the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Nations League in March. The U.S. will face Panama on March 20 in Los Angeles, while the other semifinal pits Mexico against Canada.
Required reading
(Photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos via Getty Images)
