Of the 11 players who started for the U.S. men’s national team Wednesday night against Costa Rica, not one was alive when this country served as host for the FIFA World Cup. That was in 1994, only 27 years ago. Some of the games were played in Dallas, where striker Ricardo Pepi now plays in Major League Soccer. At that point, he was eight years from being born.
The USMNT started its youngest lineup, ever, in this World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, a decision made because the “kids” are just that good — but also because their elders simply aren’t. This is having an impact on the attempt to reach Qatar 2022 that is being too casually dismissed by many of the team’s supporters.
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The 2-1 victory over Costa Rica was needlessly harrowing because this team — whose players average 22 years, 199 days old — played, at times, like children. The defense stumbled in the first minute against a forward move that forced goalkeeper Zack Steffen to leave his area to head the ball clear. His effort wasn’t strong enough for the ball to cross the sideline, and was saved to Costa Rican left back Ronald Matarrita, who sent a cross over the U.S. defense to unmarked winger Keysher Fuller. He one-timed a rolling shot that Steffen appeared not to see until it was behind him.
