Costa Rica vs USMNT
2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – Finals – Match #14
March 30, 2022
Costa Rica National Stadium; San Jose, Costa Rica
Pregame Coverage: 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Universo, Peacock
Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Universo, Peacock
Social media: @USMNT at Twitter and Instagram; US Soccer on Facebook, the US soccer app
Tonight’s USMNT starting XI in Costa Rica: 1-Zack Steffen, 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 3-Walker Zimmerman (Capt.), 4-Tyler Adams, 5-Antonee Robinson, 6-Yunus Musah, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 10-Christian Pulisic, 12-Miles Robinson, 21-Tim Weah, 23-Kellyn Acosta
Substitutes: 18-Ethan Horvath, 7-Shaq Moore, 8-Cristian Roldan, 11-Gio Reyna, 13-Jordan Morris, 14-Luca de la Torre, 15-Aaron Long, 16-George Bello, 17-Jordan Pefok, 19 -James Sands, 20-Jesus Ferreira, 22-Erik Palmer-Brown
GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT COSTA RICA
- The USA men’s national team can qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup tonight via two different scenarios: 1) USA win, draw or lose against Costa Rica by less than six goals -OR- 2) If USA by six or losing more goals to Costa Rica, it could still qualify directly for Qatar if Mexico lose to El Salvador in their final World Cup qualifier and the US retain their goal difference advantage
- USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this game): DeAndre Yedlin (73), Kellyn Acosta (51), Christian Pulisic (48), Zack Steffen (29), Walker Zimmerman (28), Tyler Adams (27), Antonee Robinson ( 25), Tim Weah (22), Miles Robinson (20), Yunus Musah (16), Ricardo Pepi (11)
- USMNT Starting XI WCQ Cap Numbers (including this match): Christian Pulisic (23), DeAndre Yedlin (19), Kellyn Acosta (19), Tyler Adams (13), Antonee Robinson (13), Miles Robinson (11), Walker Zimmerman , (10), Yunus Musah (10), Ricardo Pepi (10), Tim Weah (9) Zack Steffen (6).
- Today’s starting XI has an average age of 24 years and 142 days, meaning 13 out of 14 US lineups during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers were 24 years or younger.
- In 14 games during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the USMNT starting XI averaged 23 years and 302 days – the team’s most recent history. The youngest to date came during qualifying in 1990 with an average age of 24 years and 66 days in 10 games.
- The line-up averages 30 caps and 18 appearances in official competition.
- Gregg Berhalter makes four changes to the USMNT roster that began in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Panama. Tim Weah and DeAndre Yedlin are returning after serving a one-game suspension for collected yellow cards, while Kellyn Acosta and Ricardo Pepi are also back in the XI.
- With their starts tonight, Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson will finish the Octagonal as joint leaders of the USMNT, playing in 13 of 14 games.
- Following his hat-trick on Sunday, Christian Pulisic has now scored 10 career goals in the finals of Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, taking him fourth in all-time goalscoring since the 1998 cycle. With one game remaining in the Octagonal 2022, he is only behind Carlos Pavon (12 goals in 18 finals games; Honduras), Jozy Altidore (11 goals in 28 finals games; USA) and Paulo Wanchope (11 goals in 20 finals games). ). ; Costa Rica).
- Pulisic’s hat-trick also brought his total in WCQ to 12 goals, tying him with Eddie Johnson for fourth on the USMNT’s all-time WCQ scorer list. He is one goal behind Landon Donovan in third place on the US WCQ scorer list (13 goals).
- Walker Zimmerman captained the USMNT for the fifth time tonight. In four previous games, the team was 3-1-0 when Zimmerman wore the armband.
- Zimmerman and Miles Robinson will pair in central defense for the seventh time in standings and sixth in qualifying. The USMNT has gone 5-0-1 as the duo work together at the back, conceding just one goal in six games.
- Kellyn Acosta, Christian Pulisic and DeAndre Yedlin are the three starting XI players who also appeared in the USA’s last World Cup qualifying final on October 10, 2017 in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Forward Paul Arriola (groin constriction left) is not dressed for tonight’s game. Midfielder Gianluca Busio, defender Reggie Cannon and goalkeeper Sean Johnson are also absent from today’s squad. Teams are allowed five substitutes in three moments.
- The USA is 19-16-6 all-time against Costa Rica and trailing Los Ticos in qualifying by 7-11-3.
- The USA have gone 0-9-1 in 10 previous qualifiers on Costa Rican soil, the only result being a 1-1 draw on May 26, 1985 in Alajuela.
- Drew Fisher from Canada is the referee for today’s game. Previously, he officiated in USMNT’s 2-0 win over El Salvador in the Gold Cup Quarterfinals on July 19, 2017 in Philadelphia.