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Rose City Roundup: World Cup Qualifying Returns

By Stacey Neve
Remember the last time the USA played Costa Rica in World Cup Qualifying?
Remember the last time the USA played Costa Rica in World Cup Qualifying?
Dustin Bradford

World Cup Qualifiers are back! The U.S. is taking on Costa Rica today and the Ticos are eager to exact revenge for the SnowClásico. (So I guess that's it, that's what we're calling now?) American Soccer Now talks to an American expat in Costa Rica about the game tonight and the overall sense in Costa Rica that they got screwed back in March.

If you haven't been watching KickTV's series "The Hex," I would recommend checking it out. Watch and be amazed by Landon Donovan's ability to say interesting things in the least interesting voice possible.

The USMNT has never won in Costa Rica, and they'd probably feel a little bit better about their chances if the status of Jozy Altidore was more definitively positive. If Jozy's out, as looks increasingly likely, who do you want to see up front instead? Will it be Aron Johannsson, the new member of the U.S. team who's ready to make a big impression?

Jurgen Klinsmann has admitted to being concerned about having a Mexican referee tonight in advance of a qualifier with Mexico and with several key players carrying yellow cards. Are his concerns legitimate?

Now that the first ever NWSL season is over (and we won!) it's back to the existential questions about whether the league can survive. One thing they'll definitely want to sort out is what the involvement of the Mexican federation will look like going forward.

Speaking of the NWSL, I love this tribute to the Portland Thorns and the league in general.

Don Garber has been bold about his hopes for MLS, predicting it will be a top league in the world by 2022. Matt Reppert isn't so sure that's realistic, but he's got some advice on how we should get there.

And now, from the Twitters, this is pretty cool:

An interesting stat about our opponent tomorrow:

And unrelated, but amusing nonetheless:

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