Milwaukee Brewers

COMMERCE CITY, Colo.—The U.S. national team got its World Cup qualifying campaign back on track on one of the most surreal evenings in program history, defeating Costa Rica, 1-0, in a blizzard at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park outside Denver.

Match officials, including the Salvadoran referee, contemplated suspending the game during a second-half break. But U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who said he “kind of grew up in the snow” in southern Germany, insisted that play continue.

Snow was a factor in the U.S. team's World Cup Qualifying match against Costa Rica. (AP Photo)

“That’s why I went a little bit on the field as well, and with my bad Spanish I told the referee we are not stopping that game,” Klinsmann said. “It’s only the lines. And they clean up the lines and we kept playing.”

Costa Rican officials were furious following the match. Coach Jorge Luis Pinto called it an “embarrassment for soccer” and word circulated later that an official protest was planned. But it’s unlikely to go very far. Neither team had an advantage in the swirling snow and the hosts emerged deserving winners because they capitalized on an early chance. Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey combined on a 16th minute goal that gave the U.S. a key advantage as the conditions deteriorated.

“The key was getting the goal early,” Dempsey said immediately after the final whistle. “It was difficult to play in these conditions and when we got the goal, they were under pressure to push the game. They were getting frustrated because the snow was up past their ankles. … Getting the goal early gives us the confidence to see the game out.”

It was a goal, and a win, the U.S. desperately needed. An ugly loss in last month's opening game of the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying left Klinsmann’s team at an early crossroads. A loss, or even a draw, on Friday would have put the U.S. in precarious position heading into next week’s game in Mexico. But the Americans played well, especially under the circumstances, and deserved the victory.

The Lineups

Klinsmann promised following the loss in Honduras that he’d fix the issues that hampered the U.S. in possession, and he was true to his word on Friday. The hosts took the field in a 4-4-2 formation (which evolved into a 4-2-3-1 when Dempsey withdrew) that gave the U.S. cover in all areas of the field. It featured some welcome experience in a makeshift back four and flank midfielders who were comfortable on the ball. The snow turned simple plays into an adventure, but the Americans were well-positioned to deal with the game’s challenges.

Klinsmann deployed Omar Gonzalez and Clarence Goodson, who was a qualifying regular last year, in central defense. Geoff Cameron, who’s played in the middle for the U.S. but appears frequently on the flank for Stoke City, was on the right. DaMarcus Beasley, an experienced workhorse who earned his 98th international cap, played on the left.

Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones manned central midfield and had more room to roam without a defensive anchor like Danny Williams or Kyle Beckerman behind them. Herculez Gomez and Graham Zusi were on the wings and Clint Dempsey, starting his first game in five weeks, and the in-form Jozy Altidore started up front.

“When you look at the guys we had on the field, I think it helped a little bit in terms of the natural flow of the game,” Altidore said It was hard to tell in the snow, hard to see, but adding a Graham in there, even a Herc, getting up and down, we were combining a little bit.”

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The Conditions

There were plows before kick off and shovels during the match. A zamboni or two would have been useful as well. As the snow poured down, the field became covered and slick. Controlling the ball was difficult, passes slowed in the deepening drifts and the game had a random quality that hardly seemed suitable for a qualifier of this importance.

Although the Costa Rican players surely didn’t grow up playing in such conditions, there was nothing about Friday’s weather that was familiar or comfortable for anybody. Considering the fact that seven Tico starters play in Europe, including four in Scandinavia, it was hard to make a case for a significant home-field advantage beyond the 19,374 partisans in attendance.

“Obviously it was a nice snow battle,” Klinsmann said. “Great character shown by all the players, how they fought and how they just gave everything they had really. Those are conditions that make it very difficult to judge things on a tactical level, on a game level. It is then we just have to adjust to the snow and battle it out and finish it off with three points and then move on.”

The Big Bounce

Sure enough, the game was decided by a fortunate bounce that went the Americans’ way. But it was a bounce that was earned by Altidore, who has struggled to find his rhythm in past games under Klinsmann but who seemed more comfortable on Friday playing alongside Dempsey and with a bit more support in midfield.

Altidore settled a 16th-minute pass from Dempsey near the top of the penalty area, slid to his right and struck a low shot toward the left post. The ball struck hard-luck Costa Rica defender Roy Miller, who’s had his share of early-season struggles with the New York Red Bulls, and caromed in front of the goal. Dempsey charged in and finished off the rebound easily for his seventh goal in eight World Cup qualifiers during the current cycle.

“I think Clint played it to me outside and I just tried to make some space so I could get a shot,” Altidore said. “Clint’s always got that sniff, man. He’s always following plays up.”

It was Dempsey’s 12th career goal in World Cup qualifying, tying Landon Donovan’s U.S. record.

Struggling through the snow

Scoring chances weren’t frequent but each team had its opportunities. The U.S. thought it deserved a penalty kick in the 42nd when Dempsey was tripped by Miller, but referee Joel Aguilar waived play on.

Zusi was felled seconds later and Dempsey thought his subsequent shot was handled by a defender, but again the whistle stayed silent.

Costa Rica thought it had scored in the 70th but the play was called offside. Guzan was well-positioned on several Tico shots and made saves that couldn’t have possibly been routine.

The U.S. made the plays it had to make in defense and Beasley, starting at left back for the first time since ’09, was energetic and effective, breaking up several promising Costa Rican forays. Bradley was commanding in the middle and was smart and accurate with his passing, while Jones covered a ton of ground and continued until the game’s 83rd minute despite receiving stitches at half time to close a wound in his leg.

One goal likely was going to be enough to win this memorable affair, especially if it came early before the field became too unplayable. Dempsey got it, and the U.S. could breathe a sigh of relief following a difficult start to the year.

Looking Ahead

The U.S. will head into Tuesday’s game at the Estadio Azteca vs. Mexico in second place in the six-team Hexagonal at 1-1-0. Friday’s other two games ended in ties, allowing the Americans to ascend from last place.

Even if the U.S. loses next week (it is 0-13-1 in qualifiers in Mexico), they will be in good position having already played two difficult away games and having proven once again that they always rise to the occasion on home soil. Even if it’s covered by several inches of snow.

“I was freezing, shivering in the hot tub saying to these guys, ‘We just played one for the books’,” Altidore said. “Hopefully we can build on this now and go to Azteca and get a result.”