Preview: USA vs. Costa Rica - prediction, team news, lineups

The USA are set to host Costa Rica at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, on Thursday as their CONCACAF Gold Cup preparations get underway.

Coming just days after the USA beat Mexico 3-2 to win the CONCACAF Nations League in Denver, head coach Gregg Berhalter will hope his side can bring that form into this tie.

Match preview

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In what has been a wild week for international football in the United States, The Stars and Stripes will now look to expand their regional dominance by winning the Gold Cup later this summer.

Although, it is fair to say the team may have something of a hangover from their Nations League victory given that the final was such a chaotic affair.

From pitch invasions to penalties and from brawls to last-gasp winners, the game certainly had its moments.

Following a bruising 120 minutes of football, though, the USA eventually came out on top thanks to a 114th-minute winner from the golden boy of American football himself, Christian Pulisic.

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Costa Rica came within a spot-kick of facing the USA in the final themselves, with Los Ticos going out to Mexico in the semi-final earlier this month.

The subsequent third-place play-off against Honduras saw Costa Rica lose on penalties again after the game ended 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes.

Head coach Ronald Gonzalez Brenes will now look to put the tournament behind them and turn his attention to the Gold Cup, which starts next month.

After a disappointing few days for Los Ticos, a high-profile win against the USA this week would certainly do wonders for the confidence of the team.

Team News

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With Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna, Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie all taking part in the final, it is likely that Berhalter may choose to field a few of the more peripheral players this week.

Expect to see the likes of Sebastian Lletget, Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson get some minutes in this fixture.

Brenes could also make some alterations to the side that lost to Honduras, and Joel Campbell and skipper Bryan Ruiz could be rested for this tie.

Luis Romo, Orbelin Pineda and Alan Pulido could all feature for Los Ticos after impressive cameos in recent weeks.

USA possible starting lineup:
Steffen; McKenzie, Brooks, Ream; A Robinson, McKennie, Acosta, Dest; Musah, Sargent, Lletget

Costa Rica possible starting lineup:
Moreira; Fuller, Duarte, Calvo, Oviedo; Batista, Borges, Tejeda, Leal; Pineda, Pulido

We say: USA 2-0 Costa Rica

After years of investment and development, the USA finally look to be reaching heady heights, and we think they will have no trouble defeating Costa Rica this week.