U.S. Soccer Team Beaten by Costa Rica

After 2 1/2 euphoric months since qualifying for this summer’s World Cup in Italy, the U.S. national soccer team hit the Orange Bowl turf hard Friday night in Miami.

Costa Rica, another World Cup qualifier but hardly a world power, scored in the ninth minute and was virtually unchallenged for the remainder of the game in a 2-0 victory before a crowd of about 20,000 in the first round of the Marlboro Cup.

That relegates the United States to the third-place game Sunday afternoon against Colombia, which lost to Uruguay, 2-0, Friday. Uruguay, which scored both goals in the final 13 minutes, will meet Costa Rica Sunday night for the championship.

In comments to his players after the game, U.S. Coach Bob Gansler lectured them about their lack of effort. But he told reporters later that he did not expect much more from the players than they gave him considering that they had not played a game since Nov. 19.

“We knew that our players needed some time off, and now we’re starting to build them up again,” he said. “We didn’t look good, but it’s more a matter of fitness and timing than it is ability. This is our first preseason game.”