USMNT Falls To Second In CONCACAF WCQ Standings After Loss In Costa Rica

Costa Rica took over the lead in the final CONCACAF qualifying table for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 victory over a lackluster US Men's National Team Wednesday at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Alvaro Saborio scored the second-fastest goal against the US team in WCQ games at 79 seconds, then Costa Rica increased the advantage to 2-0 when Celson Borges tacked on a goal in the 13th minute and the Ticos kept ahold of the lead through halftime.

In the second half, Costa Rica put the final nail in the coffin when Pablo Herrera scored unassisted in the 69th minute.

The US, however, ended a nearly-decade long scoreless streak in Costa Rica as Landon Donovan made a penalty kick two minutes into second-half stoppage time to score the Americans' first goal on Costa Rican soil since Eddie Stewart did so in 2000.

Donovan's goal also tied him with Brian McBride for most US goals scored in a WCQ phase with 10.

Costa Rica takes the lead in the six-team standings at 3-1-0 and nine points and have a two-point lead over the US, 2-1-1 with seven points. Honduras, who the US next faces Saturday in Chicago, is third at 1-1-1 with four points.

Mexico (1-2-0, three points), El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago (both at 0-1-2, with two points) round out the hexagonal table.

The top three teams at the end of the qualifying phase automatically advance into the World Cup field, while the fourth place finisher meets the fifth place team from the South American table in a two-game playoff for a wild card berth.

The USMNT are now 0-7-1 in games in Costa Rica, including being winless in San Jose and being outscored in games there, 16-5, including Wednesday.

The US should have better luck at home Saturday against Honduras, though.

America is 15-0-1 since they last lost a World Cup qualification game at home to Honduras, 3-2, at RFK Stadium in September 2001.

The US team will be without the services of Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan, both of who received yellow cards, putting them over the limit for penalties and forcing an automatic one-game suspension Saturday.