United States 4, Costa Rica 0: U.S. gets much-needed win over Costa Rica

Chicago — The men in the middle dominated play as the U.S. national team responded in a big way with a 4-0 drubbing of Costa Rica on Tuesday night in the Copa America Centenario tournament at Soldier Field.

The guys up front weren't too bad, either.

A subtle formation switch by U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann helped the U.S. score twice within a 5-minute span as the Americans grabbed a 3-0 lead by the 42nd minute.

Clint Dempsey converted a 9th-minute penalty kick and added two assists, and Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood scored the two game-breaking goals as the U.S. went to a 4-4-2 formation after starting the game in a 4-3-3, with three forwards.

'Some players really stepped up,' Klinsmann said. 'Jermaine definitely was one of them today, putting his stamp on this game. He gave the message with Michael (Bradley) in the midfield that this was our game, this was our three points.

'We wanted to put ourselves in the driver's seat for the last game against Paraguay. That's what these guys did in the middle of the park.'

The U.S., under plenty of pressure after losing its tournament opener to Colombia, gave the supportive crowd of 39,642 plenty to cheer about. The Americans moved into second place in their group after Colombia defeated Paraguay, 2-1, later in the day in Pasadena, Calif.

Klinsmann stayed with the same starting 11 that dropped a 2-0 decision to Colombia on Friday night in northern California.

'Our hope was to build a more fluid style by keeping the guys connected together, the same starting 11,' Klinsmann said. 'That's a luxury we never really get in World Cup qualifiers. We're always missing guys and we have to improvise.

'You see now they start to smell each other and make runs off each other. This is a learning process, to integrate a younger striker up front. Bobby (Wood) needs to learn to play off Clint.

'We switched after a half hour the system and it was fluid, no problem at all. We figured out we were losing too many balls; that gave us a bit more width.'

Gyasi Zardes dropped back into the midfield as a winger after starting the night as a forward, and he and Alejandro Bedoya provided the width the team needed.

'It was a good performance from everybody,' said Bradley, the team captain. 'We stepped on the field in a big game with the right mentality.

'Tactically they do some interesting things. It means in a lot of moments they're able to double and triple the flanks. It means you have to find ways to deal with that.'

Jones was named the man of the match as he won balls all over the field and ignited the U.S. counterattack.

'I always have a lot of energy, and I like to play more forward,' Jones said. 'Today was a game where Coach told me I can go. Last game we were focused on helping on the left side (defensively), and today was more freedom and that's the game I want.'

Costa Rica, a World Cup quarterfinalist in 2014, has yet to score in the tournament after opening with a scoreless draw against Paraguay.

'I'm not going to go cry about it,' Costa Rica coach Oscar Ramirez said through a translator. 'I'm not going to let the score bother me. You're always going to have a bad game in any tournament.'

The U.S. players showed plenty of energy in the first half, knowing a losing result would put a premature end to their Copa America stay.

Dempsey floated home a penalty kick in the ninth minute after Wood was pushed down in the penalty area while waiting for a cross from defender Andre Yedlin. It was Dempsey's 50th career international goal.

Zardes missed a golden chance from close range in the 33rd minute, but Jones made it 2-0 just 4 minutes later when he finished with a low 19-yard shot inside the far post after taking a pass from Dempsey.

Then it was Wood and Dempsey combining for a 3-0 U.S. lead in the 42nd minute. Wood slotted neatly inside the near post after Dempsey patiently found him inside the penalty area.

Substitute Graham Zusi scored on a nice individual effort in the 87th minute to give the U.S. a four-goal margin and boost its goal differential to plus-2 entering the final group game against Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Costa Rica 0 0 — 0

United States 3 1 — 4

First half— 1, United States, Clint Dempsey (PK), 9th minute; 2, United States, Jermaine Jones (Clint Dempsey), 37th; 3, United States, Bobby Wood, (Clint Dempsey), 42nd. Second half— 4, United States, Graham Zusi, 87th. Yellow cards— Fabian Johnson, United States, 44th; John Brooks, United States, 81st. Referee — Roddy Zambrano, Ecuardor; Linesman — Byron Romero, Ecuardor; Linesman — Luis Vera, Ecuardor; Fourth Official— John Pitti, Panama; Reserve Linesman — Gabriel Victoria, Panama. A — 39,642.

Lineups

Costa Rica— Patrick Pemberton, Cristian Gamboa (Jose Salvatierra, 46th), Francisco Calvo, Johnny Acosta, Oscar Duarte, Ronald Matarrita, Joel Campbell (Randall Azofeifa, 46th), Christian Bolanos, Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz, Marco Urena (Alvaro Saborio, 18th).

United States— Brad Guzan, DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Camreon, John Brooks, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley, Alejandro Bedoya (Kyle Beckerman, 83rd), Gyasi Zardes, Clint Dempsey (Chris Wondolowski, 78th), Bobby Wood (Graham Zusi, 70th).