United States 2 2 Costa Rica - Americans top CONCACAF, Ticos sent to playoff

October 14, 10:37 PMSoccer ExaminerNicholas Richards

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Costa Rica sat just seconds away from dream land, moments from a trip to South Africa. Then the Beautiful Game got ugly for the Ticos.

Jonathan Bornstein headed in a corner from eight yards out deep in stoppage time, forcing a 2-2 draw in Washington D.C.'s RFK Stadium. With the point, the US emerged as the winner of the CONCACAF Hexagonal. The tie, coupled with Honduras' 1-0 win over El Salvador, gives Honduras the automatic berth to South Africa on goal difference. Costa Rica now must enter a two-game playoff with Uruguay, a realization that reduced several of the Costa Rican players to tears.  

It's been an emotional 4-day stretch for the National Team. From qualifying for the World Cup October 10 to losing striker Charlie Davies in a car crash that may or may not end his career to the late Bornstein goal, the US has run the gamut. 

The US controlled large portions of the match and had the best chances early. After clearing a Costa Rican corner in the 8th minute, Stu Holden stabbed a second effort in the box out to midfield to Jozy Altidore. Altidore outmuscled two Costa Rican defenders and found an unmarked Conor Casey at the top of the box. Instead of taking a touch toward goal, which he had time to do, Casey hit the ball on the first touch from 18 yards out and came nowhere close to finding the net. 

In the 9th minute, Sam's Army paid tribute to the fallen Davies by applauding and holding up the number nine, Davies shirt number. Davies will face another week in the hospital and more surgery on his broken elbow and facial fractures after the car crash early Tuesday morning that left one person dead. 

The tribute was nearly cut short, however, as Costa Rica should've taken the lead in the 10th minute. Walter Centeno was picked out unmarked at the back post and sent a rasping volley from six yards out, but Tim Howard somehow kept the excellent effort out of the American goal. 

The US had another chance in the 17th minute. Casey used a deft touch to send Holden down the right wing. Holden sent a cross into the middle of the box where Altidore was inexplicably unmarked, but he sliced his header wide of the target. 

Costa Rica survived another chance from Casey and eventually took the lead in the 21st minute. Bryan Ruiz collected a pass and ran toward the end line, outraced and turned inside Oguchi Onyewu, and fired a left-footed shot through Howard's legs for a 1-0 lead. 

The Ticos struck again three minutes later as the US fell asleep on a Costa Rican throw-in. Some slick passing sent Ruiz toward goal, and he smashed a left-footed rocket from the top of the box into the upper 90 - a shot Howard had no chance to save - setting off a wild celebration on the Tico bench. 

Landon Donovan should've responded in the 37th minute. Altidore headed down a deep cross into Donovan's path, who lifted the ball over the Costa Rican defense and through on goal. Instead of crossing to an unmarked Casey at the back post, Donovan went for goal with the left foot and lifted his unbalanced shot well over the cross bar. 

The US continued to pour forward and should've leveled the match in the 43rd and 44th minutes. Altidore crossed to Casey in the 43rd, and he let the ball roll through to Donovan. Donovan had the goal at his mercy, but side-footed his shot straight to the keeper. A minute later, Donovan charged down the left and crossed to Altidore. The ball looked like it would be cut out, but the Costa Rican defender slipped and Altidore was unmarked. However, his shot was also cut out to keep the US off the scoreboard. 

The US controlled most of the possession in the second half and finally took advantage in the 71st. Robbie Rogers sent in a dangerous cross to Donovan at the far post. He cut back into the middle of the box and had his effort saved, but the save rebounded back into the path of Michael Bradley. Bradley's shot was tipped, but ended up in the back of the net to cut the lead in half. 

With the US smelling blood a minute later, Rogers had an opportunity to level the match, but his shot was just wide of the target. Rogers had another chance in the 76th, but sent a header wide of the post.  

Fortunes would change quickly for the US, as Onyewu was forced off the field with a nasty-looking knee injury that reduced the US to 10-men for the final eight minutes of the match. Onyewu attempted to field a cross and, while back-pedalling, planted on the wet RFK turf and went down in a heap, immediately clutching his left knee and signaling for the medical team. 

Costa Rica had two coaches sent off late for arguing over a late substitution before Bornstein's late heroics pushed the US to the top of the group and saw Costa Rica's dreams crushed. The dismissal of their coaches could be massive since they enter a two-game playoff. Both coaches will be forced to miss part of that tie as a result.