Player Ratings: Costa Rica 2-2 United States

Costa Rica is heading for a playoff with Uruguay for a spot in the World Cup after a 2-2 draw with the USA. Zac Lee Rigg rates the players on show.

Oct 15, 2009 12:11:57 AM

More On : Costa Rica, USA

Costa Rica

Keylor Navas – 8
Highly impressive, especially when coming for crosses. The 22-year-old gave an electric performance and was unfortunate to concede twice late. Perhaps should have stayed tall for Bradley's 71st minute goal.

Pablo Herrera – 6
The more conservative of the wingbacks, Herrera gave a decent account of himself. Donovan's silence said a lot for the rightback's performance.

Don't Miss

Cristian Montero – 6
Saying that he was the most sound of the three Costa Rica central defenders isn't very much praise at all.

Luis Murillo Marin – 5
Too often pulled left or right to cover for the faults of other defenders, the veteran had a hard time of it out there. Didn't organize his back three nearly well enough.

Dennis Marshall – 4.5
Spent more time on the ground than defending. Perhaps most telling about Marshall's game is that he -- a defender -- was hauled off in the final minutes as the Ticos tried to hold onto their one goal lead.

Esteban Sirias – 7
Always provides quality deliveries down the left, and this game was no different. His biggest contribution was pulling the game wide in the build up to the first goal.

Randall Azofeifa – 5
Quiet. Sat too close to his defensive line for much of the game.

Michael Barrantes – 6
Gave a tidy game in the heart of the midfield without ever standing out.

Walter Centeno – 7
Still ticking along nicely at 35. Centeno makes the entire team flow. His flick for Ruiz's second was exceptional.

Bryan Ruiz – 8
Showed a lot of versatility with his two goals. The first was a cutting run past Onyewu and a clever finish after opening his body at the last possible moment. The second was a ferocious blast from way out. Quieted down in the second half, but the damage was already done.

Alvaro Saborio – 6
Didn't really leave his mark on the game and found himself squeezed out of the play by the U.S. defenders.

Substitutes

Junior Diaz – N/A
Most of Costa Rica's substitutions were made to waste time rather than to alter the tactical setup.

Christian Bolanos – N/A
Douglas Sequeira – N/A

United States

Tim Howard – 7
A sudden reaction save early on will have convinced Howard he had fulfilled his quota of lightning quick thinking for the night, but Costa Rica went on to rattle him for two goals in the first half. In fairness, the Everton stopper (and Altidore) looked like the only American on the pitch who cared in the first half.

Steve Cherundolo – 5
His impact in the wide areas of the attack helped redeem a rather lazy defensive display. Sirias found his way around Cherundolo too easily, and he was caught out on the opening goal.

Oguchi Onyewu – 4.5
Let Ruiz stroll right past him for the game's opener and didn't look very solid even after that. Late in the match, after all three U.S. subs had been made, he tore his patella, leaving his teammates to toil on a man down.

Carlos Bocanegra – 6
Solid enough. Not the inspired display he gave against Honduras, and the captain could have organized his backline better.

Jonathan Bornstein – 7
An extra point is just for that goal. With Herrera taking it easy down the right, Bornstein was allowed to ignore defending and concentrate on backing up Donovan in attack. These last two games have been positive for the usually shaky fullback.

Stuart Holden – 5
Looked timid at the start, almost nervous, giving away the ball his first couple touches. Eventually Holden settled in and had a mediocre game, but his defensive display was rough. Sirias beat him several times, including for the opening goal.

Michael Bradley – 6
Scored the all important goal to spark off the comeback, but didn't give much else throughout the match. Probably missed Clark's presence next to him as he had to hang back in defense more.

Benny Feilhaber – 5
After a few nice touches in the early going, Feilhaber disappeared from the game. He didn't lock down anything on defense and didn't force himself into the attack. Torres showed more from the position in a few paltry minutes than Feilhaber did all game.

Landon Donovan – 6
Another quiet game from Donovan, another classy moment that changed it. In the 71st minute, Donovan collected a cross after feigning a shot, ducked to his left, and uncorked under heavy pressure. Navas stopped it, but Bradley scooped home to claw the U.S. back into the match. Most Americans would have blasted that shot first time or would have missed the target, but Donovan kept his composure.

Jozy Altidore – 7.5
In the wake of his roommate's car accident, Altidore provided an eager, energetic display. Everything good came through him for the Yanks. Early in the match, with the scores still at 0-0, Altidore bullied himself onto the ball from a Costa Rica corner, sprinted the length of the pitch and set up an unmarked Casey perfectly, only to see the Colorado Rapid shank an open shot.

Conor Casey – 5
Aside from that miss, one other touch stood out from Casey. Before anyone had scored, he provided the sort of delicate flick through to Holden that one wouldn't imagine the bulky forward having in his locker. Eventually Altidore miffed the chance, and Casey spent much of the rest of the game quietly plodding along.

Substitutes

Jose Francisco Torres – 7
Composed and assured, Torres looked plain comfortable out there. From spraying the ball around the park to chasing back on defense to providing the assist on the game-tying goal, Torres did it all.

Robbie Rogers – 7
Judging by the energy levels provided by the youngsters upon entering the game, Bob Bradley might have done better to start with them. Rogers filled an unfamiliar right wing role, but showed that he's to a right peg too with some nice service down the flank.

Kenny Cooper - N/A

Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com

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