Costa Rica VS USA: Who Dominated? Full Game Recap and Analysis

The clash between the United States and Costa Rica on June 29, 2025, gave fans a nail-biting Gold Cup quarterfinal. Both sides finished level at 2-2 after a dramatic contest, but the USA edged past Costa Rica 4-3 in the penalty shootout. The match had energy, flair, and some wild momentum swings. Now let's break down everything about Costa Rica VS USA, from lineups to stats and key moments in this rollercoaster matchup.

Part 1. Costa Rica VS USA: Lineups and Formation

Both teams went for the same 4-2-3-1 formation, stacking the midfield and pushing pace from the wings. The choices of players and plans told a lot about how each team approached the game.

United States Starting XI

Mauricio Pochettino lined up his squad with Freese in goal and a backline of Freeman, Richards, Ream, and Arfsten. Adams and de la Torre handled the holding midfield spots. The trio of Berhalter, Tillman, and Luna fed balls forward into Agyemang up top. The plan clearly leaned on pushing from the wings and overlapping runs to break through Costa Rica's deeper back four.

Costa Rica Starting XI

Miguel Herrera stuck with his usual plan, too. Keylor Navas took the gloves behind a backline of Mora, Juan Vargas, Gamboa, and Calvo. Galo and Bran anchored the midfield. Kenneth Vargas, Aguilera, and Alcócer made up the attacking trio behind Martínez. It looked like they wanted to hit on the counter using pace from the flanks and isolate the American defenders after turnovers.

Tactical Similarities

Both teams mirrored each other in formation but played with a different rhythm. The US played more proactively with quicker transitions and maintained possession. On the flip side, Costa Rica played more defensively in the later play and waited for turnovers to explode forward.

The fullbacks on both sides stayed wide, giving each team a stretch across the field. That created a chess match in midfield, with Tillman and Aguilera battling for control in the center. Each team looked to create chances through crowded midfield play and quick forward passes.

Part 2. Costa Rica VS USA: Possession and Momentum Shifts

Here's how both teams handled the ball, controlled the flow, and shifted tempo throughout the match. Possession didn't tell the full story here, but it sure told a lot.

First-Half Possession Flow

Costa Rica looked sharper in the first 15 minutes. They controlled more of the ball, moved it through the back, and pushed forward with patience. The US started slow but picked it up by the 20th minute. Tillman and Luna pressed high, and the ball began tilting in their favor. By halftime, possession was almost even, but the edge leaned slightly toward Costa Rica at 52%. That early pressure gave them a psychological upper hand before the break.

Second-half control and Pressing

The US came out firing in the second half. Their press forced Costa Rica into rushed passes, especially near the midfield. Adams won a lot of second balls, which kept the momentum tilted in the US's favor. The yellow bars in the stats graph start to stretch wider here. Luna and Agyemang were great with overlapping runs. Even though possession stayed close to 50-50, the US looked more in control through ball recoveries and tempo changes.

Extra Time Energy Drop

By the time extra time kicked in, the legs started to go. Both sides passed side to side and waited for a mistake. Costa Rica stayed compact and focused on not conceding. The US still tried to push, but the final balls into the box didn't land. Neither team looked sharp in front of goal, and the fatigue showed. Possession stayed split, but neither side could turn it into anything meaningful during those extra minutes.

Part 3. Costa Rica VS USA: Goals and Key Moments

Let's go through the moments that flipped the match. Every goal changed the pace, and both teams had their chances to swing it their way.

Calvo's Opener - 12th Minute

Costa Rica struck first with a goal in the 12th minute. Calvo got his name on the scoresheet and gave his side a 1-0 lead with a penalty kick early in the match.

That goal gave Costa Rica an early edge and pushed the US back toward their own half for the next stretch. The American team pushed to respond, but the Costa Rica defense was unbreachable and went into halftime with a one-goal lead.

Luna Responds - 43rd Minute

The US team found its way back into the game just before halftime. Luna scored in the 43rd minute to tie it up at 1-1.

The goal lifted their tempo and shifted the momentum in their favor for a while. The Costa Rican midfield started to slow down, and the US got more time on the ball. That equalizer gave both sides a reason to push harder for the next breakthrough. The match stayed open after that, with chances coming on both ends.

Arfsten Strikes - 47th Minute

The US didn't wait long to take the lead back. Arfsten scored in the 47th minute to make it 2-1.

The goal came right when Costa Rica had started pressing higher up. That strike brought the momentum back to the US and gave them another cushion to work with. The players at the back stayed alert as Costa Rica looked for another quick response. With just twenty minutes left in regular time, both sides started to feel the pressure grow.

Alonso Martínez Ties It Back - 71st Minute

Costa Rica hit back in the final moments. Alonso Martínez scored in the 71st minute to bring the score to 2-2.

That equalizer came right before the full-time whistle and kept Costa Rica alive in the tournament. The goal changed the mood on the field and forced the match into extra time.

The US had been holding the lead for most of the second half, but that late goal wiped it out.

Extra Time Stays Goalless

After the tie, both teams had to go another thirty. The ball moved through midfield, but no clear chances came up. Both sides looked cautious and avoided taking big risks. The scoreboard didn't change in the first half of extra time, and nothing shifted in the second, either. The referee checked his watch, looked around once, and blew for penalties to decide who moved on to the semifinals.

Penalties Decided the Match

The match went into a shootout after extra time finished 2-2. Both teams picked their five takers, and the US managed to score four of them while Costa Rica hit three. One miss made the difference and gave the win to the US, as the final penalty count stood at 4-3. That sent the USA team through to the semifinals. That was it.

Part 4. Head-to-Head Record: Costa Rica VS USA

The rivalry between the United States and Costa Rica has been running for years, and the numbers back that up. Across 40 matches in all competitions, the US has come out on top 20 times, while Costa Rica has grabbed 15 wins. They've also drawn five times, which shows the competitive nature of both sides.

In their most recent meeting before this Gold Cup clash, the US came away with a clean 3-0 win in a friendly back in January 2025. That result gave them confidence heading into this tournament. But just a few years earlier, Costa Rica had the upper hand. In a World Cup Qualifier played on 31 March 2022, Costa Rica beat the US 2-0. That match saw the US struggle to break down a compact defense, and Costa Rica made the most of their chances.

Go a bit further back to 13 October 2021, and the US edged a tight 2-1 win over Costa Rica in another qualifier. These results show how unpredictable the matches between the two teams have been. One team dominates for a while, then it flips. That's what made the 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinal even more intense-both sides had something to prove.

Part 5. Enhance Your Favorite Football Player Photos Using HitPaw FotorPea

Got a favorite moment from the match? Maybe you grabbed a photo of Agyemang celebrating or a shot of the US players hugging it out after the shootout. If the image looks a little dark, blurry, or just doesn't pop the way you want, HitPaw FotorPea can sort that out in a few clicks. It's built for editing images fast, especially when you're dealing with sports photos that need a quick edit before sharing or posting.

Do these steps:

• Step 1.Open HitPaw FotorPea on your device and click the AI Image Editor. This takes you straight to the workspace, where you can start editing photos. Everything you need appears right there without having to search through tabs.

  

• Step 2.In the center of the screen, you'll see a box that lets you drag and drop your image file. You can also click the "+ Add Image" button at the top to browse and select the photo manually. This works well for uploading football moments you captured during a match or saved from a broadcast.

  

• Step 3.On the right side, you'll see a column of AI tools. These include Face Unblur, Coloring Old Photos, Colorize B&W Photo, Low-light Model, Scratch Repair, Color Calibration, Image Reconstruction, BG Remover, and Retouch. Each one serves a purpose. You can fix blur, improve lighting, enhance color, remove backgrounds, or restore old screenshots. Just click the one that fits your needs and apply it.

  

• Step 4.Once your photo looks the way you want, click "Export" in the top-right corner. The tool processes the changes quickly and gives you the edited version ready to save.

  

Part 6. FAQs of Costa Rica VS USA

Conclusion on Costa Rica VS USA

The Gold Cup clash between the United States and Costa Rica delivered drama from the first goal to the final penalty. With four goals, a tense shootout, and both teams showing grit, this quarterfinal had all the emotion fans expect from two long-time rivals. The US came out on top 4-3 in penalties after a 2-2 draw, booking their place in the semifinals.

For anyone who snapped photos from the match or captured moments of their favorite players, HitPaw FotorPea is a great way to clean them up and make them look sharp before sharing them with your friends.