Preview: US – Costa Rica

The US Men’s National Team will try for its first win under new coach Jurgen Klinsmann tomorrow when it takes on CONCACAF rival Costa Rica at the Home Depot Center. Klinsmann is still getting familiar with the US player pool and has brought in a number of new faces from Europe and a couple of MLS players.

There have already been a couple of snags with the roster with Heath Pearce and Zach Loyd both dropping out and being replaced by Jonathan Spector and Chris Pontius because of injuries they picked up playing for their MLS sides. Fabian Johnson will not be earning his first cap because he has not been cleared to compete with the US yet and Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, and Kyle Beckerman will only be available for the team’s next game against Belgium. However, the players that remain should be able to hold their own against a Costa Rica team that is playing their first game under an interim head coach after making a quick exit from the 2011 Copa America.

Costa Rica will be without their star forward Bryan Ruiz, who will be playing with Dempsey this season at Fulham, but the US back four will still have to keep an eye on the forward duo of Randall Brenes and Josue Martinez. Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio has also found the back of the net 23 times for the Ticos. Tim Howard should be in goal for both of the upcoming games. The US outside backs are pretty much set as well with Timothy Chandler taking over for the absent Cherundolo on the right and Edgar Castillo still trying to be the first player in years to earn and hold on to the left back spot. In the center for the US I’d expect Klinsmann to stick with Carlos Bocanegra and Michael Orozco since they did well enough against Mexico, but Clarence Goodson is doing well at Brondby so I’d like to see him get the start here and Boca take over against Belgium.

The absence of Dempsey and Beckerman and a couple of the starters from last game opens up two starting spots for a few of the guys still looking to impress the new boss. Assuming that Klinsmann uses the same formation as his debut against Mexico, I would expect Maurice Edu and Jeff Larentowicz to handle the defensive side. There are a few possible combinations for the rest of the midfield: Landon Donovan, Sacha Kljestan and Jose Torres have all played out wide and in the center, but I would expect Brek Shea to start out on the left after his performance against Mexico and his ability to help out more on the defensive side if called upon. That leaves Donovan to take the right side and Torres or Kljestan to play in the center.

Our lone striker will probably go to Jozy Altidore who is looking to have his first successful year since leaving the MLS back in 2008. Altidore has already notched 3 goals in 4 games with AZ Alkmaar. Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury will be the likely candidates for a late game sub or if we end up with a forward pairing. I’d like to see Bunbury get another shot with the national team if only for a possibility to hear the “Boon-Boo-Ree” goal call again. The US youth and speed up top and in our midfield will be up against an aged but experienced defense for Costa Rica that features Chivas USA’s Michael Umana and New York’s Roy Miller. Also with a tie to MLS is Carlos Johnson who earned the record for the fastest red card in MLS history while playing for New York in 2009.

The game will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com with kick-off set for 10:00pm CST. There will be a viewing party at The Sweetwater Bar and Grille in St. Paul, MN. The Sweetwater is an Official US Soccer Bar.