A steady drizzle and patches of fog initially slowed the U.S. men’s soccer team. A lackluster offense and a disorganized defense made matters worse as Costa Rica’s fans chanted and danced in the stands.

The Americans were soaked and smoked the last time they played at Costa Rica in FIFA World Cup qualifying — a 3-0 loss in 2005 in San Jose exposing vulnerabilities that resurfaced in a quick exit from the 2006 tournament.
They’re confident a scoring spree and hot goalkeeping will prevent a repeat performance Wednesday at Costa Rica, riding momentum from a productive start to the final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
Jozy Altidore recorded a hat track when the U.S. last took the field in April, posting a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. Michael Bradley carried the No. 15-ranked Americans with a pair of goals in a 2-0 victory over Mexico, and the U.S. managed a 2-2 tie against El Salvador despite a hiccup by Brad Guzan, who replaced Tim Howard in goal.
The U.S. leads Costa Rica by one point in the CONCACAF region, with Honduras three points back, Mexico four points down and El Salvador and Trinidad five points off the pace. The top three teams after a 10-match qualifier — the U.S. completes the first half Saturday against Honduras in Chicago — advance to the World Cup in South Africa.
“We view these two games as being very, very important,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. “We understand the challenges. We feel strongly that we have a great opportunity to really finish the first half and really put ourselves in good position.”
The Americans, preparing for the Confederations Cup that begins June 14 in South Africa, have qualified for the World Cup five consecutive times, their best finish a quarterfinal appearance in 2002. Their only medal, a bronze, came in 1930.
A three-time CONCACAF champion vying for its third straight World Cup berth, Costa Rica opened with a 2-0 win against Honduras, then lost 2-0 to Mexico and triumphed 1-0 over El Salvador. It’s 5-0-1 against the U.S. in World Cup qualifying games in San Jose.
Playing at home gives Costa Rica a major advantage. Its flag-waving fans, known for their often wild, sometimes unruly behavior inside a 23,100-seat stadium with FieldTurf, feed off captain Walter Centeno, veteran Luis Marin and leading scorer Rolando Fonseca.
They certainly don’t get quiet when it’s wet. And they’re probably doing cartwheels over Wednesday’s forecast in San Jose — thunderstorms, with a 70 percent chance of rain.
“We talk about what to expect in certain stadiums against certain teams,” Bradley said. “We have played in tough environments. We have experience in these situations. We recognize the passion Costa Rican fans have for their team, and we are excited.”