US vs Costa Rica @ Denver Friday 3/22 10 PM EDT (8 MDT)

We're gonna get 3 points damnit, because, well, we have to.

This game is on March 22nd at 8pm mountain time, for those who don't want to look it up like I just did. Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, ESPN, WatchESPN and Univision. Tickets go on sale February 19.

Highlight to reveal, slight spoiler:
I hope March 22nd is the last day we are last in the hex.

The 2-2 tie in 2009 should have an asterix. It was a meaningless game for the USMNT and although Bradley fielded a strong lineup (unlike Arena who sent in scrubs against T&T in the previous cycle), it's not the same thing and the loss of Davies pre-match in tragic circumstances and Gooch's injury in the game further hindered our performance. In my view, winning at home against Costa Rica should be considered par for the course.

2009 : 2-2, but USA was already qualified, even with a defeat (at worst 2nd).
2000 : 0-0, a tie was enough, since the last game was at Barbados and they were a true minnow.

Not defeating Costa Rica at home when a win is needed should be cause for dismissal. Period.

Is a win truly "needed" in the second game of the Hex (especially given all of the results from Matchday 1)?

No one wants to start the Hex with two bad results, certainly. But it is not an impossible task to hypothetically overcome such a scenario across the ten-match tournament.

Yes, the US can and should be on three points before heading to Azteca. But I'd imagine a coaching change between matches 2 and 3 (regardless of the result home to CRC) is highly unlikely.

However, if the US is on zero points at the end of March, then yes that could be cause for dismissal for some/all of the coaching staff.

I think this is a must win, if for no other reason than to prevent a total collapse within the locker room. JK ain't the guy who's going to bring the team together.

Anyone watch the Panama Vs Costa Rica game last night? What was the x factor, if you will, that led them to come back and tie the game?

quite.

jesus christ i hope we can win in spite of ourselves. I have never been this mortified of a qualifying cycle, ever.

I had a dream a few days ago that we played New Zealand in the home away thing and we scored in the 90th minute and qualified, barely. This seriously feels like we are barely going to qualify, i got a feeling we are going to lord of the rings-ville before we go to brazil. and you wanna talk about our europe boys getting jet lag, oh my goodness....

Didn't the women....the number 1 ranked team in the world have to go to New Zealand to qualify?

I'm hoping for the type of bounce back home performance we got vs Jamaica, with better finishing.

I assume Commerce City is not expecting 85-90 degree heat and 55-60% humidity on the night of 3/22.

That should help the US's chances for a decent bounce back performance.

Italy, I was at the game for the second leg @ Toyota Park

Colorado better pack this stadium like no other..

It's a must-win for the USA. Let's be honest, though, at this stage in qualifying all home games are "must wins"- you can't afford to drop points and have to find extra on the road. We'll win- CR is not as good as their past teams and we will be in a much better place to play.

A win at home against Costa Rica? I"m not at all concerned.. Maybe I'm the minority

Based on yesterday's performance (all factors taken into account) I'm still concerned.

But...



...part of me thinks that there is no way we can play worse than we did yesterday. I imagine that the players will be thinking that the match against Costa Rica won't be just about the win, but about redemption and proving something.

Am I right or am I wrong?

Historically speaking, you need 16-17 points for a top three finish in the Hex. The traditional rule-of-thumb of five home wins and five road ties (20 points) is really a formula for a top two finish. The formula for a top three finish is something more like 12-13 home points and 4-5 road points.

No matter how you slice it, home to Costa Rica is about as must-win as it gets this Hex.

Jurgan Klingsmans Job should also be on the line if this fake ass Guru does not win he has to go....

If The national team wins but does not play good Jurgan has to go...

If The team plays ugly Jurgan has to go....

I have HAD ENOUGH of this clown... To think Sunil Passed over and dismissed both Bielsa and Peckerman as crazy because BOTH coaches told sunil they would only take the Job if they fired the youth coaches and put their people so their people can open the pipe line and bring up the quality younger players thru the system... Sunil decided to protect rongen and nowack at the time 2 cats that were shown the door later on any ways.... Jurgan got the job and said he was only the full national team coach and would not be involved in the younger national team.... RED FLAG RIGHT THERE..


I am all for bringing back Arena right now and or Sigi beccause there is no one else that can take this train wreck and save it....


and Sunil has to go as well.......................

Sure. That is likely the best and most useful assessment.

(But what if you slice it by saying that the US could -- realistically -- average 2 ppg over the final 8 matches of their Hex and be just fine?)

I think the previous game in Honduras will set as a wake up call. Not to JK, but to the players. 6 out of the back 7 (MF/DEF) hadn't seen the Hex before. I hope we see Edu as the stay at home guy in the CR game. He was all over the place breaking up plays against Honduras.

IMO, this is a must-win. Otherwise, Klinsmann should be managing for his job in La Estadia Azteca, as in my view the US should have nothing less than 3 points after 3 matches.

Hopefully Cherundolo is healthy. I would stick him right back (pun intended) into the side, but Bocanegra I'm less certain about. With the front 6, a lot depends on if Donovan and (less likely) Holden are ready to return. Until we know those answers, I'm not going to speculate.

based on the math and expected outcome at Azteca(although maybe that is not a certain loss anymore)...if we lose to Costa Rico then we will have to win 5 out of our last seven and draw the other 2? does that sound right? if so then CR at home is a must-win.