The USMNT has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinal round of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and while the next test against Costa Rica was viewed as a potential stumbling block earlier in the tournament, the United States really has no reason to stress over the outcome of the opening round finale.
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Costa Rica also earned a spot in the quarters over the weekend, defeating Belize in a 1-0 defensive struggle. Costa Rica was viewed as the best team other than the USMNT in Group C and with 2 matches in the rear view mirror, both the U.S. and Costa Rica have lived up to their high expectations.
When and Where to Watch USA vs. Costa Rica
Playing inside Connecticut's Rentschler Field, the United States and Costa Rica will wrap-up the opening round of the Gold Cup on Tuesday, July 16th. Scheduled to begin at 8:00pm, EST, the FOX Soccer channel will anchor coverage with a pregame show beginning around 7:30pm.
An on-line live stream will also be available by visiting FOX Soccer 2 Go.
Match Preview
The United States has a chance to record the team's longest winning streak in U.S. Men's soccer history with a victory over an extremely talented Costa Rican squad.
Reeling off seven straight W's thanks to 3 World Cup qualifiers, international friendly wins over Guatemala and Germany along with 2 wins in this Gold Cup tournament, the U.S. continues to play well on all levels.
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Though Tuesday night's outcome won't have an impact on quarterfinal advancement, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann is fully aware that his club's next opponent will surely be the teams toughest, even though Belize and Cuba - the team's previous opposition - earned their respect.
"Everybody knows and has respect for Belize and Cuba," Klinsmann said to FOX Sports. "But the benchmark for us now starts with Costa Rica. We're looking forward to that match. We need now games where we are eye to eye to the opponents, where we know it's going to go down to the wire."
Among the players the USMNT will have to stop is Costa Rican scorer Michael Barrantes. Leading his team with 2 goals through 2 contests, Barrantes has proven to be one of the top scoring threats in the tournament and he'll surely be looked upon for continued success heading into the quarterfinals.
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While Barrantes has been fantastic on the offensive end, Costa Rica's defense deserves a strong level of recognition.
Not allowing a goal in over 180 minutes of action, Costa Rica's unit continues to play at a high level, pitching shutouts against Cuba and Belize. With strong offensive players on the USMNT such as Landon Donovan, Joe Corona and Chris Wondolowski - who has 5 goals to lead all tournament scorers - Costa Rica will surely face a tough test in slowing a dominant American offense.
Wrap Up
Don't miss the Gold Cup's opening round finale between the United States and Costa Rica on Tuesday, July 16th. The match will start at 8:00pm, EST with television coverage available through the FOX Soccer channel. An on-line live stream will also be offered by FOX Soccer 2 Go.
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