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Fans participate in the wave as they watch the United States and Costa Rica play a friendly match at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. The United States won 4-0. (Scott G. Winterton, Desert News)
SANDY – Seconds after the United States’ recent victory over a regional rival, coach Greg Berhalter led the US men’s national team on a festive lap around the Rio Tinto stadium.
Finally, Americans can breathe. After eight days of simulated CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers mixed with their first Nations League title, and with more than a month to go until the next major international tournament, the American coach let his players enjoy their success last week.
What a week.
If there were points and standings tied to matches against Honduras, Mexico and Costa Rica – three of the team’s strongest opponents in the CONCACAF region – the Americans would have come out with nine points: three wins, no losses, and first place in the region.
So celebrate? It wasn’t just coming from the fans at Rio Tinto. The players, coaches and staff felt it too. In a match celebrating Pride Month – complete with rainbow jersey numbers on the US kits – there was plenty of American Pride on a warm summer night.
The results for the past eight days – really, the Bakers’ previous game scores, where the US was 11-1-1 – have been good. But the best part about Wednesday’s game was being able to spin around the field, raising cheers and applause for what Berhalter called “a great football market,” and realizing that the United States had achieved its biggest goals: three games, three wins, nine points against CONCACAF opponents.
The crowd, the noise, and even the ‘wave’ that circled the stadium multiple times gleamed over a delicious four-pack of cake from Berhalter’s last camp.
Daryl Dyke scored his first goal in his career for the US men’s national team, Brendan Aronson, Reggie Cannon and Gio Reina each added a goal as the USA qualified for a 4-0 win over Costa Rica in front of 19,007 fans in the regional game on Wednesday. Evening at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“It brings a smile to my face,” said Aaronson, a Philadelphia Union Academy producer who saw his stock soar in last summer’s fan-free MLS tournament that became a contract in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had fans. That gives you an extra boost – and they were popular. It was great to watch the match, and everyone applaud; that’s what you’re supposed to do.
“He brings a smile by playing in front of the fans again.”
Brendan Aaronson opens the scoring for USMNT against Costa Rica after beating Mexico in the Nations League 🔥 pic.twitter.com/42NJcsWBBz
– ESPN FC (ESPNFC) June 9, 2021
It is fitting that the public, then, was welcoming a new generation of American internationals, a group led by the likes of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Barcelona’s Sergino Dest and Juventus’ Weston McKinney – not to mention RSL goalkeeper David Ochoa, the academic producer-turned-Starter who remained His international debut is a little longer in favor of Ethan Horvath.
Everything else, though? It was perfect for the national team’s first appearance on the Wasatch front since 2017, and the national team program scored its 10th consecutive victory over a CONCACAF opponent.
Ochoa’s absence from the field may have been the only downside for any Salt Lake City resident who bought expensive tickets on a midweek night at Sandy. But even this has a bright spot.
“I talked to David about it, and I said, ‘Your time will come,'” Berhalter said. “Our focus has been on qualifying for the World Cup, and on getting Ethan’s minutes – the precious minutes he needs lately. But David is one of the best favourites. He continued to impress us throughout the camp, with his attitude and also with his play.
“We are excited to see how it evolves.”
American Daryl Dyke hugs after scoring a goal from teammate Brenden Aaronson during the Costa Rica friendly at Rio Tinto in Sandy on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 (Photo: Scott J. Winterton, Desert News)
Football meets summer in the second week of June in Utah, combining a mildly warm evening during a sweltering heat wave with a nationally televised audience for the last US game before the next Gold Cup, which begins July 10.
Aaronson gave the United States the advantage early in the eighth minute, and Dyke doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute to lift the Americans to a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half on a fine ball by Mark McKenzie.
Cannon added the third goal in the 52nd minute, chants of “America! America! America!” It covered the largest crowd at Rio Tinto since RSL’s 2020 season opener against the New York Red Bulls, which took place less than a month before the COVID-19 pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill. The 18-year-old – son of former American legend Claudio Reina – finished in the 77th minute, scoring a penalty moments after being substituted to become the youngest American player to score from a penalty kick in the program’s history.
Berhalter used the match to his advantage, substituting liberally and giving playing time to everyone on the roster except Ochoa and Pulisic. Same for the fans, who have enjoyed the largest capacity in the stadium since last March as the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Utah continue to decline and vaccination rates continue to rise as temperatures rise.
USMNT FLY! 🔥
Reggie Cannon’s goal for USMNT made it 3-0 against Costa Rica! pic.twitter.com/P4iIrmL9uJ
– ESPN FC (ESPNFC) June 10, 2021
The Beehive State’s first meeting with the US men’s team since 2017 was long overdue—and well worth it.
“Coming here in Salt Lake and enjoying the crowd we had, it was a great crowd, a great feeling,” Berhalter said. “A lot of the players didn’t play in front of the crowd like tonight.”
In many ways, it was exactly what players needed, too, before heading off for a little vacation — or a handful, like Ochoa, who will be back to play MLS as early as June 18.
“It was unbelievable to have these fans,” said Dyke, the Orlando City striker who made an outstanding performance on loan with Barnsley in the Premier League. “Throughout my career, I feel like I never had a full stadium; everything was limited or empty.
“Being able to play in front of the fans, it’s a great feeling. I think it’s something you always looked forward to when you were little kids, to play in front of thousands of fans and listen to them cheer. It was just a great environment, in general.”
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