All right, that’s it for us. Our Man at DSG got snowed in, but we’ll post any additional bon mots he has as they come in. Fascinating game, and a great result for the US, as well as a solid outing for Run DMB at left back.
Good night everybody.
95+ There it is! The final whistle. Three big points for the U.S. 1-0 in the snow. It was “beautifully ugly,” as Alexi Lalas said. The weather was unprecedented, and chances are, quite different from what they’ll face in Mexico City on Tuesday night.
94′ Kyle Beckerman on for Gomez. One minute of stoppage time left.
91′ Geoff Cameron helping the grounds crew shoveler clear the line!
89′ Another free kick for Costa Rica, but they cant lift the ball off the snow. And it’s cleared out easily by the US.
88′ Cameron gives away a free kick in a dangerous area, 10 yards off top of the box left side. US clears it away. Whew, say US fans. Not sure there was much of a foul on Cameron there but…
86′ “Eddie Johnson goes for a tumble, as if he were on a tobaggon ride,” says Ian Darke.
83′ Maurice Edu on for Jermaine Jones. Snow continues to be ridiculously heavy. Players just scuffing and banging the ball around.
78′ These conditions are barely (really, not) playable. And Costa Rica is starting to get more of the play. Guzan comes out to claim for the second time in the past two min.
76′ Eddie Johnson on for Graham Zusi.
73′ “Both sides have abandoned the idea of playing pretty football,” says Ian Darke. “They’re both hitting it long and seeing if they can control the second ball.” Yes. And the field is completely covered with at least two inches of snow, compared with the first half where there was not complete coverage. Tundra now.
70′ Costa Rica goal called back for offside! Wow. US under pressure here with 20 min to play.
69′ Jermaine Jones elbow gives CR a free kick deep on right flank. US clears it but gives up a corner. “Nervy moments for the US,” says Twellman.
MGlo: Ian Darke just said that the US looks to have a 2nd goal in them. How can he see that in these conditions?!
64′ Dempsey draws a foul in a dangerous area. Zusi takes it… foul off the ball on the US.
MGlo says: Costa rica hoping they score. Then they will go to the ref and say “come on we can’t play. This is crazy!”
60′ Saborio with a drive! Tight angle from the right. Great save by Guzan. Conditions are far worse than they were in the first half. TV cameras are getting flecked with snow.
58′ Dempsey with a chance! Just wide.
55′ They’re stopping the game! According to the sideline reporter, they’re stopping the game to try to clear the field, or … they’re stopping it for good? This is…still in doubt. Ian Darke suggests they may resume it tomorrow, when the conditions would be….worse, right? Costa Rica seems to want to continue, US definitely wants to continue and…we’re back on! Wow! How bout that?!
53′ Costa Rica free kick in a very dangerous area: right on the top of the box. Deflects out for a corner. Wow. That could have gone anywhere. Ensuing corner leads to a chance for Saborio! Second corner: that one…Guzan comes out, misses it! Ball sails out.
52′ Prison Mike says, “Jones has been very smart. He knows that the defender has no traction, so when it’s played to his feet with his defender on his back, he turns him every time. I think Bradley is the best player on the US and he’s useless in these conditions.” Good point. Bradley has been mostly invisible tonight.
49′ Altidore does very well to keep possession in the middle, sprays a ball out wide to Zusi, who can’t catch up to it.
48‘ Snow expected to continue for “next 12 hours.” Ha. US needs another goal to keep this result safe.
46′ Second half under way. Field doesn’t look much better. Taylor Twellman echoes OMATV’s point about Zusi, saying he “has to be careful” on the defensive side of the ball.
Our Man at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park: Halftime. We are better team but Cameron is our weak link at right back. Zusi not helping him.
Prison Mike says: “We win this and we’re in second, we lose and we’re in last. Altidore is showing why he needs to be out there all the time. He’s a beast. And I think Goodson deserves a spot in the back.”
Bob Ley just described the conditions as “surreal.” Let’s see how the field looks in the second half.
MGlo asks: At what point does the result stand? And if the game is called tonight, do they replay the whole game, or from where it was stopped? Good questions.
47+ There’s the halftime whistle. US 1, Costa Rica 0 after 45. The snow continues to fall. Grounds crew has work to do during the break.
Here are some catchup posts from Our Man at the Valley:
“Not much love for Beasley here in the stands, but I think he’s playing well. Lots of snow.”
“White foam on free kicks not going to work in this snow.”
47′ Saborio with a late hit on Gonzalez on that play–a corner claimed by Guzan. Hmmm. Just got a bulletin from Our Man at the Valley–from the 22nd minute. Weather-related technical difficulties….
45′ Beasley, Gonzalez and Goodson all do well to stop another CR attack. US needs a two-goal cushion in this one.
43′ Dempsey taken down in the box! No call! Then follow-up US chance goes just wide.
41′ Costa Rica getting a bit more of the play here in the later stages of the second half.
39′ Goodson with a thumping headed clearance to repel CR attack. Nice play by Goodson.
38‘ Costa Rica counter leads to good shot on goal! Guzan handles it.
32′ Conditions continue to be unbelievable. Our Man at the Valley is clearly suffering the elements on site. All action in Costa Rica’s end.
26′ Jermaine Jones was down with an ankle knock for a while, which gave the crew a chance to clear the lines a bit. Nice play by Cameron on the right flank to clear some danger, then Costa Rica gets to the endline and crosses!…Guzan has it, and it was flagged over the line for a goal kick.
24′ This is a straight up blizzard. Here’s MGlo on the goal: “Saw Altidore shoot. Saw Dempsey celebrate. Like I said, hockey.”
22′ Costa Rica counterattack off a Cameron giveaway goes for naught even though Beasley slipped in the box at the end.
16′ GOAL! US! Hard to see how it went in exactly but Altidore shot hit the post (we think) and the rebound was turned in by Dempsey! Goal! 1-0 US.
Our Man at the Valley is back in contact. Says it’s snowing really hard. Great conditions in which to host Costa Rica.
13′ US attack thwarted by the elements: Dempsey’s leading ball slides too far and over the endline.
9′ “Was dicks all out of orange balls?” asks friend of Backpost MGlo. “The yellow looks great in the closeups, shit on tv. Like watching hockey.” Beasley went down after a collision with Gonzalez. Back up and back in now.
6′ Dempsey sends Altidore into the box…but the ball skitters away and CR defender pokes it out.
4′ U.S. with a free kick 35 yards out, dead center. … Gomez lofts it toward back post… it scoots out of bounds.
We’re under way. Television visibility is poor. Hard to see the ball, and the U.S. team. 10:12
U.S. takes the field in their white uniforms…and almost disappear against the snowbound pitch. —Ed. 10:11
We should probably see the orange ball for this one. Snow is that heavy. Costa Rica anthem done, U.S. in progress. Our Man at the Valley no doubt scrambling to his seat at DSG as we type this. More from him soon. —Ed. 10:07.
The snow is surprisingly heavy. Covering the field, and the lines have been cleared by the grounds crew.— Ed. 10:05.
We’re about 15 minutes from kickoff. The U.S. will line up in a 4-2-3-1, with Guzan in goal, Beasley, Goodson, Gonzalez, and Cameron across the back (l-to-r); Jones and Bradley in front of the back four; Gomez, Dempsey, and Zusi forward in midfield and Altidore up top. — Ed. 9:58
9:55: Now playing the theme to Ghostbusters. Somehow this fits with the Rolling Rock.
9:45: Bus playlist so far: “Jump,” “Star Spangled Banner,” “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Born in the USA,” “America, Fuck Yeah!” … Am waiting on some Indigo Girls. Maybe Southland in the Springtime.
9:33: Spontaneous singing of “Star Spangled Banner” on the bus….God, I cant believe I used to want to drink Rolling Rock!
9:26: Big dilemma for Colorado Keeper upon boarding bus. Since there’s one free beer per passenger, do you grab one on behalf of your 7-year-old son? … Keeper decided not to. First bad move by him associated with this website since he brought in Fernando Torres for Robin Van Persie during Week 3 of the Backpost EPL Fantasy League.
9:08: The Bulldog is pssing out complimentary half-pints of Guinness. That was a good bus to miss.
8:58: Mmmmmm. Titan IPA.
8:41: There’s good news and bad news: First, the bad: The 6:30 [local time] bus from the Bulldog to the stadium, for which we have reservations, has come and gone. The good news: Great Divide is a wonderful brewery in Denver, and the British Bulldog serves their Titan IPA.
8:22: Now watching Argentina-Paraguay. Ref is using white foam on free kicks! MLS taking over the world!
8:11: Colorado Keeper of BPFL fame, just met league rival Clever and Witty. Worlds collide.
8:01: Chicken tikka masala at the Bulldog is very good. Also very spicy.
7:54: Suarez! What a goal!!
7:43: Girlfriend is here. Diego Forlan is on tv. She is happy.
7:31: At a table with arduous American outlaws from Arizona and California. We are arranged in a 3-4-2 to commemorate our perennial lack of a left back.
7:22: Now watching Uruguay v Paraguay. Paraguay apparently thought it was bibs v non bibs
7:08: At pub [British Bulldog]. Heaving… Lots of cheers for final whistle in Honduras. [Honduras and Mexico tied 2-2 after Honduras was controversially denied a late penatly.—Ed.] I think they are misplaced and it’d be better for us I Mexico run away with group.
6:57 ET: On way to pub. Light snow and very windy.
Good evening, sports fans!
We are about one hour from kickoff of the crucial World Cup qualifier between the United States and Costa Rica in Commerce City, Colorado. But Our Man at the Valley has been going strong, on site, for a couple of hours now.
He began the evening at the British Bulldog, the de facto headquarters of U.S. supporters group, the American Outlaws, for this match, and last we heard, was getting ready to board a bus for the stadium.
Let’s get right it.