One year later than expected, the United States kicked off the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship with a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico. The match was a tense affair, as both teams had equal opportunity to win. However, the Americans came away with three points due to a superb solo effort from Jesús Ferreira.
Manager Jason Kreis opted for a 4-3-3 formation, relying on the squad’s more experienced players to secure three points. Real Salt Lake goalkeeper David Ochoa was named the starter. The center back pairing of Justen Glad and Mauricio Pineda was tasked with stopping Costa Rica’s vaunted attackers and initiating the pass-heavy tactics.