Soccer-U.S. opens year with 1-0 friendly win over Costa Rica

The United States men's soccer team won their first match of 2020 with a 1-0 friendly victory over CONCACAF rival Costa Rica on Saturday in Carson, California. Ulysses Llanez, an 18-year-old striker, scored from the penalty spot in the 50th minute to give the young American side the victory.

He celebrated by pretending to shoot a jump shot in honor of former Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash last week. The U.S. is trying to rebuild its program under Gregg Berhalter who was hired a little more than a year ago.

Esteban Alvarado was superb in goal for Costa Rica as he made four superb saves from the Americans. The U.S. team will next head to Europe for a pair of friendlies against the Netherlands and Wales in late March.