That’s all for now. Thanks for following along with us and get your popcorn ready for the soap opera certain to unfold over the coming days and weeks.
Meanwhile on Twitter.
Updated
Full-time: USA 0-1 Costa Rica
Playing before their smallest home crowd in five years, the US turn in a listless performance in a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica that will leave this team with far more questions than answers ahead of World Cup qualifying. A three-game losing streak at home for the first time since 1997.
90 min+1: Costa Rica with a quick counter that takes advantage of an out-of-position Ngyuen, apparently still admiring his work. Howard comes off his line to make the save off Urena’s breakaway attempt. Three minutes of stoppage time.
90 min: Free kick for the US. Ngyuen standing over it. Delivers a shot into the area that’s confidently gobbled up by Navas.
89 min: Long, looping ball from Diskerud finds Yedlin, who gets a head on it but can’t put enough pace on it to meaningfully challenge Navas, who’s left with an elementary save.
87 min: Small conflagration between Bobby Wood and Kendall Watson sees both players shown yellow. Costa Rica makes another switch as Francisco Calvo enters for Oscar Duarte.
85 min: Tonight’s announced attendance is 9,214, which seems charitable. Meanwhile the U-23s have gone ahead 2-0, while elsewhere Alexi Lalas is keeping the faith.
Switching to the debate for more talk about promises, leadership and accountability.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) October 14, 2015
82 min: On the bright side the US Under-23 team have scored against Canada to move closer to a play-off against Colombia that could see them through to the Rio Olympics. So that’s something.
80 min: Borges’ effort sails over the crossbar. Grim scenes in Harrison.
79 min: Orozco shown yellow for a foul that will give Costa Rica an excellent look on goal on a free kick.
76 min: Another defensive breakdown for the United States and another golden chance for Costa Rica. Turned away by Evans.
75 min: Another sub for Costa Rica as Daniel Colindres comes on for Johan Venegas. The camera then cuts to US Soccer president Sunil Gulati, who looks like he just tasted the most disgusting food ever.
Sunil Gulati's message to US Soccer fans... Talk to the hand. #USMNT #USAvCRC pic.twitter.com/fRGXUmhn3k
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) October 14, 2015
Updated
72 min: Another wave of subs for the United States: Andrew Wooten and Lee Nguyen on for Gyasi Zardes and Brek Shea.
71 min: Williams shown yellow for a foul. Not his best showing tonight.
GOAL! USA 0-1 Costa Rica (Campbell, 70 min)
Almost inevitably it’s the Ticos who strike first as Campbell runs past a sluggish Williams onto a cross and deposits it past Howard into the goal.
69 min: The US dodges another bullet as Urena runs onto a perfectly weighted ball from Matarrita and just puts it wide from point-blank range.
66 min: Evans quickly shown yellow for a hair-trigger challenge of Matarrita. The referee nearly issued it mistakenly to Yedlin, who is already on a yellow.
65 min: Brek Shea takes a ball to the face and he’s down for the moment. Ouch.
Updated
63 min: A fourth sub for the United States as Jonathan Spector comes on for Tim Ream.
60 min: An hour in and the US no closer to an opener now than any time tonight. Rudderless. No fluidity in attack.
58 min: Another terrible giveaway by Danny Williams leads to Campbell taking Costa Rica’s the best chance of the night, a left-footed missile from the top of the area that Howard is able to get a glove on and re-direct over the crossbar.
55 min: Yedlin shown yellow for a tackle from behind.
53 min: A first switch for the Ticos as Ronald Matarrita enters for Bryan Oviedo.
50 min: Evans wins a corner but nothing to show for it.
47 min: Some subs for the USA: Bobby Wood on for Altidore, Ventura Alvarado on for Cameron, Mix Diskerud on for Jones.
46 min: We’re off and running in the second half, having overcome a bit of technical difficulties.
It’s never good when your team winds up on Empty Seats Galore, the Twitter feed devoted to under-attended sporting events. But that’s right about where the US national team is in life right now: a mid-week friendly amid a Mexico hangover in Harrison, New Jersey. If you’re wondering why you haven’t seen too many crowd shots on the telecast tonight, here’s why.
US soccer fans fed up. #USAvCRC #USMNT (http://t.co/KLYeMf4DOk + http://t.co/FtnblkndvZ) pic.twitter.com/Qqb0gLsJ6e
— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) October 13, 2015
#USMNT bandwagon just a tad lighter these days. #USAvCRC (http://t.co/arqDd36qD0 + http://t.co/fJhjIapZba) pic.twitter.com/0gzP4vwmrp
— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) October 13, 2015
Caption: "Rousing turnout for USA-Costa Rica tonight" #USMNT (http://t.co/9YhgpeSUfJ) pic.twitter.com/VdtlgLwqq4
— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) October 13, 2015
Half-time: USA 0-0 Costa Rica
No stoppage time as the referee blows the whistle at 45 minutes flat. Costa Rica certainly look the more dangerous of the two sides at the break. The consensus among the US soccer commentariat is ... not good.
— Matthew Doyle (@MLSAnalyst) October 13, 2015
43 min: The replay shows Venegas badly abused Shea on his run down the right side, getting behind Orlando City man to get in position for the ball. USA are fortunate to still be at nil-nil.
42 min: Not much action either way, but then a sudden counter-attack by Costa Rica ends when the ball is crossed into Venegas, who looks certain to score! Only a goal-line stop by Brad Evans keeps the score level. Crucial stop!
37 min: Jones shown yellow for a foul on Campbell.
34 min: Zardes, who’s been energetic today, puts a little too much on a through ball to Altidore and it’s out to Costa Rica.
32 min: Shea hacked badly off the ball but no yellow given. A note from Nigel in Toronto, via email:
Hi Bryan - [Far more interesting] is the Uruguay v Colombia game where the former lead 1-0 after a spectacular diving header by someone.
First, listening to Ben Carson read the phone book would be more interesting than this. Second, the Uruguay goal-scorer was Anota Godín and it was indeed a beauty.
31 min: Shea whips it towards the back post and Tim Ream is there and nearly puts it in for a goal, but Navas is in perfect position to make the save.
30 min: Duarte hacks down Altidore and the US will have another free kick near the right sideline. Shea to take it.
29 min: Costa Rica with their best sustained attack of the night. Nice interplay up the right side before it’s centered then moved out to Gamboa, whose left-footed shot towards the far post is pushed wide.
27 min: Jones whistled for a foul near midfield and Costa Rica will take over possession.
25 min: US now keeping possession and stringing together passes, looking to build up slowly from the back. Ultimately given away by Jermaine Jones near midfield.
23 min: One quarter down and it’s not unfair to call this a bit of a drudge. Not much quality either way.
20 min: Cameron and Vanegas jockey for possession in the corner near the US goal and it goes out for a goal kick.
17 min: Bit of a reckless challenge from Acosta on a 50/50 ball with Danny Williams. He’s immediately shown yellow but the replay shows he went in with both feet up. A straight red would not have been uncalled for.
Updated
14 min: Teams trading possession around midfield. Pace seems to have slowed a bit. Not that it was all that frenetic to begin with.
11 min: Speaking of Campbell, here’s a note from JR in Illinois, via email:
I still haven’t forgiven Joel Campbell for that dive two years ago. You know the one. If I was playing in this game I think I would have something for him. Something he would not care for.
10 min: A ball is played through to Campbell on the left edge of the area but it’s a bit overcooked and Howard – his Everton team-mate – is able to corral it before he arrives.
8 min: A free kick given by the referee to Costa Rica deep on their side. Quickly given away.
7 min: Shea moves the ball up the left side and tries to swing in a cross but it’s off target and out for a goal kick.
6 min: A terrible giveaway by Danny Williams in midfield and it’s Urena on the move. A real threat here! But Orozco bails him out with a last-gasp tackle.
5 min: Urena surges with the ball up the right flank and uncorks a shot that forces Howard to make a save.
4 min: Zardes wins another free kick, this one a bit further back, but Brad Evans attempt is poor: well short.
3 min: And Shea bottles it badly as the ball soars high into the night over the keeper. Costa Rica tries to move it downfield quickly but are quickly dispossessed and now the US are playing it back to Howard and will try to move it up patiently from the back.
2 min: Danny Williams wins a free kick about 25 yards from the goal dead center and the US will have an early chance. Brek Shea standing over the ball to take it.
1 min: And we’re off! USA in all-white strips attacking from left to right, Costa Rica in their third kit: black shirts and shorts with red socks.
The teams are making their way onto the pitch right now. Six minutes to kickoff. Something short of a capacity crowd in Harrison, New Jersey tonight.
As feared, only few thousand fans at Red Bull Arena for #USAvCRC. Many Ticos. Even before MEX loss, this game was never going to draw well
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) October 13, 2015
While we wait for the teams to emerge from the tunnel, here’s a look at Graham Parker’s post-mortem from USA’s Pasadena disappointment.
Here’s a look at today’s teams. In goal for the United States is Tim Howard, who is making his first appearance for the national team since last year’s loss to Belgium in the World Cup last 16.
USA
XI: Howard; Evans, Cameron, Orozco, Ream; Yedlin, Williams, Jones, Shea; Zardes, Altidore
Subs: Guzan, Hamid, Alvarado, Spector, Diskerud, Bedoya, Nguyen, Wood, Wooten
Costa Rica
XI: Navas; Duarte, Waston, Gamboa, Oviedo; Acosta, Borges, Guzman; Venegas, Campbell, Urena
Subs: Pemberton, Alvarado, Myrie, Castillo, Vega, Matarrita, Valle, Granados, Aguilar, Colindres
#USMNT locker room is set. Catch #USAvCRC live at 6:30pm ET on @espn, @unimas & @univisionsports. pic.twitter.com/jscx3Zmd80
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 13, 2015
Hello and welcome to tonight’s friendly between the United States and Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena. Three days after a gutting loss to arch-rivals Mexico at the Rose Bowl, Jurgen Klinsmann’s men will look to pick up the pieces in the final match before the start of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup next month.
In keeping with in the national team’s penchant for scheduling ambiguity, tonight’s kickoff is not 6.30pm as has been widely disseminated, but in fact 6.55pm per Taylor Twellman – or roughly 45 minutes from now. Plenty more to to come between now and then including the team information. Watch this space!
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s why high school soccer is dying:
