A Rodney Wallace header in the 65th minute gave Costa Rica a shock 1-0 victory over the US in a friendly on Friday, handing new US coach Jurgen Klinsmann his first defeat.
Klinsmann, the former German international striker and coach who took over the US side on July 29, is still seeking his first victory with the US, after drawing 1-1 last month with Mexico in Philadelphia in his debut match.
“For sure you’re not happy with the result, but I am happy with the performance,” Klinsmann said. “The players did what I wanted to do. We had our chances in the first half. Overall a very good performance. Unfortunately there wasn’t a goal.”
Photo: Reuters
Klinsmann will hope his third try is charmed when he again tries for his first triumph as US coach when the US play against Belgium in Brussels on Tuesday.
US troubles with Costa Rica did not begin with Klinsmann. The US are winless in their past five meetings with the Ticos and fell behind 12-11 with six drawn in their all-time rivalry with the latest defeat.
Wallace, a 23-year-old midfielder for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, scored less than five minutes after coming on as a substitute for his international debut.
Photo: Reuters
Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio took the ball deep down the right side for Costa Rica, then crossed for Michael Barrantes, whose left-foot shot deflected off the left arm of US goalkeeper Tim Howard.
The rebound came to Wallace, who opened his international account with a diving header from 6m out.
The US pressed in vain for the equalizer, with play becoming more and more physical, starting forward Brek Shea and substitute Sacha Kljestan being issued yellow cards in the 78th and 79th minutes, respectively.
Photo: EPA
The victory was a strong sendoff for Costa Rica interim coach Ronald Gonzalez before Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto takes over the team next month.
Klinsmann, 47, wanted to see how well such talents as Jozy Altidore and Landon Donovan combined and press home his desire for an aggressive style.
Donovan nearly delivered it in the seventh minute, his shot going just wide of the near post after a charge to the right from inside the penalty area, the misfire leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy striker with his head in his hands.
The Ticos only managed their first shots in first-half stoppage time, but forced two saves from Howard before the end of a scoreless first half.
Altidore was offside just inside the area in the 55th minute to thwart a US attack, while Costa Rica’s Randall Brenes was denied by Howard from inside the area in the 59th, two minutes before he was yanked for eventual hero Wallace.
Klinsmann made a subtle, but meaningful change, by having the US play in jerseys numbered 1 to 11 with no player names on the back, the basic-looking red attire a departure from recent tradition.
Spain 3, Chile 2
AFP, ST GALLEN, Switzerland
Second-half substitute Cesc Fabregas scored twice as reigning European and world champions Spain fought back from two goals down to beat Chile 3-2 in a friendly in St Gallen on Friday.
Vicente Del Bosque’s side were punished for a slow start as Chile raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas, but the introduction of Andres Iniesta at halftime reinvigorated the Spain midfield.
Within nine minutes the Barcelona man had pulled a goal back and it was his pass that allowed fellow substitute Fabregas to level the scores with 20 minutes remaining.
Fabregas then scored the winner in stoppage-time, converting the rebound after his penalty had been saved by Claudio Bravo.
The win comes as the perfect boost to a Spain squad deprived of several key players as they prepare to host Liechtenstein in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.
Raul Albiol and Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez started in the heart of the defense and the duo were given a hard time as Chile came racing out of the blocks.
Isla beat Iker Casillas with a well-hit crossed-shot and, after David Villa and David Silva had both had chances for Spain, Chile doubled their lead on 20 minutes when Alexis Sanchez supplied Vargas, who finished coolly past Casillas.
Only a fine Casillas save prevented Jean Beausejour from adding another and Spain were lucky to be just two behind at the break.
Pepe Reina, Pedro and Iniesta all came on at the restart and the Barcelona midfielder sparked the rally when he sent a measured strike into Bravo’s bottom-right corner to score his 10th international goal.
Iniesta’s first-time pass was then prodded home by Fabregas for the equalizer and Chile cracked as Spain turned the screw, with Pablo Contreras being shown a straight red card for a crude tackle on Santi Cazorla.
Spain then won a penalty in the final minute when Alvaro Arbeloa went down inside the area.
The contact seemed minimal and so incensed was Jorge Valdivia — who had already been taken off — that referee Jerome Laperriere raced across to the dugout to show him a red card for his protests.
Fabregas’ penalty was touched on to the post by Bravo, but the Barcelona man touched home the rebound to hand Spain the win before a mass brawl sparked by angry Chilean players greeted the final whistle.
In other friendly matches, it was:
‧ Argentina 1, Venezuela 0
‧ Uruguay 3, Ukraine 2
‧ Poland 1, Mexico 1
‧ Peru 2, Bolivia 2
‧ Ecuador 5, Jamaica 2
‧ Paraguay 2, Panama 0
Additional reporting by AP
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