Despite playing with just 10 men for the final 55 minutes, the U.S. Men’s Under-20 National Team tied Costa Rica, 1-1, August 5 in the opening match of CONCACAF U-20 qualifying. The result leaves the U.S. and Costa Rica tied for second behind Canada (3-1 winners over Trinidad & Tobago) in Group A standings. Only the top two teams from the four-team group will advance to the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship next April in Nigeria. The U.S. opened the scoring off a corner kick after 21 minutes. Midfielder Shaun Tsakiris’ (Saratoga, Calif. / UCLA) bending corner from the right side was flicked just beyond the far post, where Nick Garcia (Plano, Texas / Indiana University) collected the ball and sent a driven pass back across the goal mouth. Midfielder Cory Gibbs (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. / Brown University) met Garica’s pass with a sharp header from six yards that beat Costa Rican keeper Jairo Villegas. The goal was Gibbs’ first in U-20 international competition. Although the U.S. controlled much of the play following the goal, the tempo of the match changed in the 35th minute, when Tsakiris picked up his second yellow card after a clumsy challenge. Costa Rica put more pressure on the U.S. late in the half, and nearly scored on 39 minutes, but midfielder Mario Viquez’ screaming shot from 16 yards hit the left post and was cleared away. U.S. goalkeeper Nick Rimando (Mont Claire, Calif. / UCLA), who made four saves total in the match, kept the Americans in front by stopping two separate Costa Rican chances late in the half. Just minutes before the half ended, U.S. forward Jamar Beasley (Ft. Wayne, Ind. / New England Revolution) broke free from his defender and ran onto a through ball by Chris Albright (Philadelphia, Penn. / Univ. of Virginia). Beasley struck the ball hard from the top of the area, but his shot was saved well by Villegas, the first of several key saves by the Costa Rican netminder. After the break the U.S. came out once again looking the better team, and despite being a man down created three excellent chances; Albright had his bullet shot parried wide by a diving Villegas, Carlos Bocanegra (Alta Loma, Calif. / UCLA) smacked a header that was saved off the goal line by a Costa Rican defender, and substitute Rusty Pierce (The Woodlands, Texas / UNC-Greensboro) had his free kick from 25 yards barely tipped over the bar. But as the match wore on, the Central Americans seized a few good opportunities to challenge the 10-man U.S. team. Costa Rica’s main threat was Jose Ugarte, a speedy forward who accounted for four of Costa Rica’s ten shots. After 83 minutes, Costa Rica grabbed the precious equalizer through substitute Winston Parks. Parks dribbled into the area on the right side and slammed a shot that beat Rimando low and to the near post. The USA will face Canada on Friday at (Aug. 7) and host Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday (Aug. 9) as qualifying play continues this week. Both matches will be played at Trinidad’s National Stadium. Aug. 5 in Tunapuna, Trinidad USA 1 Costa Rica 1. Goals: Gibbs 21; Parks 83. USA — Rimando, Cherundolo, Califf (Morrison 79), Bocanegra, Downing, Garcia, Gibbs (Goldsmith 59), Futagaki (Pierce 46), Tsakiris, Albright, Beasley. Costa Rica —Villegas, Melendez, Castro, Martinez, Esquival ( Dias 75), Lopez (Venegas 46), Olivares, Alpizar, Viquez, Santana (Parks 60), Ugarte. Att.: 1,200.
Group Standings
Aug. 5 — USA 1 Costa Rica 1; Canada 3 Trinidad & Tobago 1.| TEAM | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | P |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Costa Rica | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |