On This Day in 1998, U.S. Edges Costa Rica to Reach Semifinals, Thanks to Preki's Goal From Distance
The Americans' comfortable 3-0 victory over Cuba had set up exactly what they didn't want: a must-win situation. Costa Rica's stunning 7-2 demolition of that same Cuban side three days later meant goal differential had swung decisively in the Ticos' favor. A draw would send Costa Rica through to the semifinals. For the United States, anything less than victory would end their Gold Cup campaign in humiliating fashion just months before France '98.
"We certainly should have scored more against Cuba," forward Eric Wynalda admitted in the days leading up to the February 7 clash at the Oakland Coliseum. "Now it's a situation where we have to win."
The matchup carried recent history with considerable bite. Costa Rica had handed Steve Sampson's squad their only loss in the final round of World Cup qualifying—a painful 3-2 defeat the previous March in San Jose. Though the Americans had evened the score with a 1-0 win in Portland five months later, the Ticos held a slight 7-3-6 (WDL) edge since the first meeting in 1975. "They were one of the few teams that gave us problems in qualifying," defender Alexi Lalas said before the match. "We know we have to be on top of our own game when we play them."
Costa Rica's firepower was undeniable. Forward Paulo Wanchope had torched Cuba for four goals on five shots on target, showcasing the speed and strength that made him one of CONCACAF's most dangerous attackers. But Lalas knew better than to focus solely on neutralizing one threat. "We've found that if we concentrate too much on one person, someone else will come forward," he cautioned. "Costa Rica has other gifted players. We just have to concentrate on how we attack; we have to concentrate on having a good overall performance, both offensively and defensively."
The Oakland Coliseum would host a doubleheader—Mexico facing Honduras in the second match—and despite torrential rains that had battered California all week, 36,240 fans turned out, many wearing Mexican colors but prepared to cheer good soccer regardless of nationality.
The sun broke through shortly after the national anthem, and the American offense broke through just moments later. The United States scored on its first shot on goal in the seventh minute when Joe-Max Moore delivered a perfectly placed corner kick. Defender Eddie Pope, timing his run to perfection, charged into the box and powered a header past goalkeeper Erick Lonnis into the net. The early strike was precisely the start Sampson's side needed.
The Americans continued pressing, with Wynalda nearly doubling the lead when his audacious bicycle kick from inside the penalty area rattled off the crossbar. But as the first half wore on, Costa Rica found their rhythm. The Ticos, who had struggled to adjust to the Americans' aggressive opening, gradually began asserting themselves in attack. Lonnis remained untested until the 45th minute, when Brad Friedel—who had gone 467 minutes without conceding—made an acrobatic save on Harold Wallace's point-blank effort.
In central defense, the veteran pairing of Lalas and Marcelo Balboa—playing their first match together since November's World Cup qualifying finale—worked to neutralize Costa Rica's counterattack, consistently clearing crossing balls and blanking Wanchope. Lalas drew a yellow card in the 45th minute for a hard foul on the dangerous forward, a tactical sacrifice to prevent a dangerous attack.
The Ticos drew level in the 56th minute. Mauricio Wright threaded a pass through a confused cluster of American defenders to an unmarked Allan Oviedo on the left side of the box. Holding off Balboa's challenge, Oviedo fired a left-footed shot into the far corner past Friedel's desperate dive. The goal snapped the American goalkeeper's shutout streak and shifted the momentum squarely onto Costa Rica's side.
With Costa Rica content to protect the draw that would advance them, Sampson made critical adjustments. He had already inserted defender Mike Burns at halftime. In the 63rd minute, he replaced Roy Wegerle with forward Brian McBride. Six minutes later, he made the substitution that would define the match—Preki Radosavljevic for Balboa.
The 34-year-old midfielder, born in Belgrade and granted U.S. citizenship just 15 months earlier on October 25, 1996, had made his international debut at age 33. His left foot had bedeviled defenders for 15 years across indoor leagues, European clubs, and now Major League Soccer, where he'd won the 1997 MVP award with the Kansas City Wizards. Sampson brought him on for precisely moments like this—to create something out of nothing.
Nine minutes after entering, Preki did exactly that. Taking a pass from Jeff Agoos on the right side around the 25-yard mark, he cut inside as Costa Rican defenders backed away, perhaps unaware of the reputation attached to his left foot. His shot from distance zoomed into the upper left corner of the net, past Lonnis's flailing hands. The rain-soaked crowd erupted in celebration.
"I had some space, and I just cracked it in," Preki said afterward, characteristically understated. "All the goals I've scored are great. I will remember this one. It's great to score such a significant goal in this tournament," he said.
For Sampson, the substitution and subsequent goal validated not just a tactical decision but a roster selection. "There was just total elation on my part," the coach said. Sampson followed up by saying, "to be able to make changes in the last 15-20 minutes of the game, and for Preki to score—this is exactly why he's on this team, to do exactly what he did today. I don't have high expectations of him defensively, but he's even defending. I'm elated for Preki, and he certainly earned his spot today."
The 2-1 victory extended the Americans' winning streak to five matches and their unbeaten run to eight games—one shy of the all-time U.S. record. More importantly, it secured first place in Group 3 and a semifinal berth. "I'm most pleased with how we played tactically," Sampson said. "We kept our heads about us. No one stopped working."
Lalas acknowledged the defensive partnership with Balboa wasn't flawless—the two had even collided while trying to cover their zone at one point—but given their lack of recent minutes together, he was satisfied. "I wouldn't package this as a how-to video," Lalas said with characteristic humor. "But we won, and that was important."
The victory improved the United States to 3-0-0 in 1998, their best start in the 85-year history of American soccer. The semifinal would take place Tuesday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum against the runner-up from Group 1, though that opponent remained to be determined—Friday night's scheduled match between El Salvador and Jamaica had been postponed to Monday due to the same heavy rains that had nearly drowned the Gold Cup.
As the Americans prepared to leave Oakland, they did so knowing that the real tests—and the real prize—still lay ahead. France beckoned in four months. First, they'd need to navigate Tuesday's semifinal against Brazil, then potentially a Gold Cup final. But with Preki's left foot in their arsenal and momentum building with each match, confidence was growing that this team could handle whatever came next.