The United States Men's National Team will be looking to maintain their winning run when they face Costa Rica in a friendly on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
This match represents the final test for both teams before crucial competitive fixtures later in the year.
The USMNT have already gained some momentum in the early stages of Mauricio Pochettino's reign. A squad made up almost entirely of MLS-based players dispatched Venezuela 3-1 in their previous match just a few days ago with a number of new faces impressing.
Jack McGlynn, Patrick Agyemang, and Matko Miljevic all scored their first international goals as six starters and eight players in total earned their maiden senior caps.
Costa Rica, on the other hand, have not been in action since a 2-2 draw with Panama in the last eight of that competition. But unlike the Costa Rica team that beat the USMNT 2-0 in March 2022 during World Cup qualifying, this squad lacks experience at international level.
Only two of the players called up by coach Miguel Herrera have more than 20 caps and of those selected, midfielder Allan Cruz is the top scorer at international level with two goals.
This fixture has historically been competitive, with the U.S. holding a slight edge in their 42 previous encounters, winning 19 to Costa Rica's 17, with six draws.
Pochettino is likely to continue experimenting with his squad, balancing experienced MLS players with emerging talents. The absence of European-based stars gives fringe players a chance to impress but it also reduces the chances of a landslide victory against inexperienced opponents.
Herrera, who took over as Costa Rica coach less than a fortnight ago, has been working with the group for less than a week. The average age of the squad is 24 years old and none of them play for clubs outside Costa Rica.
The U.S. should be able to grab a couple of goals at Inter&Co Stadium, and a clean sheet looks highly probable too.
Only six members of the Ticos squad have scored international goals before and the two players that registered for them during their unsuccessful Copa America campaign last summer are both absent.
The USMNT has been impressive at home under Pochettino, winning their last three matches without conceding.
However, the experimental nature of the USMNT squad suggests this could be a low-scoring affair. Five of the last seven meetings between these teams have seen less than 2.5 goals, and this trend could continue as both sides focus on defensive stability.
While the teams possess raw attacking talent, the general lack of international experience in each squad could lead to several chances being missed or poor decisions being made in scoring positions.
The USMNT has kept clean sheets in their last three home games, while Costa Rica has struggled for goals away from home.
Moreover, nine of the last 10 head-to-head encounters have seen at least one team fail to score.
With both coaches still new to their roles, building a solid defensive base is often the first priority and so a clean sheet for either side is a strong possibility.
Agyemang made quite an impression on his international debut against Venezuela as he won a penalty and finished off a devastating counter-attack in Fort Lauderdale.
The Charlotte FC forward, who hit 10 goals in 34 MLS appearances last season - 21 of those being starts - looks capable of causing problems at this level.
He has physical stature and pace, plus an understanding of when to make his runs.
The 24-year-old bullied the Venezuelan defenders at times and was denied a second goal thanks to a good save by goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez.
Agyemang looks full of confidence at the moment, which was evident in the way he took on the short for his goal with his less-favored left foot, and he can register again on Thursday.
United States | -225 |
Tie | +300 |
Costa Rica | +550 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.