Freese stands tall as US edge Costa Rica on penalties to reach Gold Cup semis

Goalkeeper Matthew Freese produced a penalty shootout masterclass to lead the United States past Costa Rica 4-3 on spot-kicks and into the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Following a dramatic 2-2 draw in regulation, Freese made three clutch saves in the shootout—denying Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo, and Andy Rojas - to secure a semifinal showdown against Guatemala. Substitute Damion Downs, just 20, netted the winning penalty at US Bank Stadium.



"Penalties are my thing," Freese said after the win. "On the plane ride over here to Minnesota I was studying the penalties so I was ready for it if we needed it.

The match had its share of twists. Costa Rica struck first in the 12th minute when Max Arfsten brought down Kenneth Vargas in the box, and Calvo calmly buried the resulting penalty. The US nearly equalized when Malik Tillman earned a spot-kick of his own, but his effort hit the post.

The breakthrough came in the 43rd minute, when Diego Luna’s shot deflected off Alexis Gamboa and into the net. The US surged ahead early in the second half as Arfsten, having earlier conceded the penalty, made amends with a composed low finish after a Tillman assist.


Chris Richards nearly added a third, but Keylor Navas kept Costa Rica alive with a brilliant save. That proved pivotal, as Carlos Mora’s dazzling dribble led to Alonso Martinez’s 71st-minute equalizer.

Martinez nearly won it late after beating Freese with a beautiful curling kick, but his shot struck the post, sending the tie to penalties - where Freese stood tall.

The US have now advanced to the semifinals in 17 of 18 all-time Gold Cup appearances, maintaining a remarkable level of consistency in the tournament. This latest run marks their 13th consecutive semis berth, a streak that began after their last quarter-final exit in 2000, when they were eliminated by Colombia on penalty kicks.