The field we played on yesterday was right next to the Church Vazquez de Coronado which I photographed early this morning before the team boarded a bus for seaside Puntas Arenas. There the US faced Costa Rica for the second time with a much less satisfactory outcome. The team gave up two early goals and a third in the second half falling to a 3-0 defeat. The two hour ride in a barely large enough bus had done little to help with the stiff muscles everyone was experiencing. Nicolai played well and put shots on both the left and right posts but could not find the back of the net.
After the match both teams enjoyed dinner at a restaurant just off the beach. A number of us paused our meal to enjoy a beautiful sunset and to dip our toes in the Pacific Ocean. The two hour return to San Jose after losing was not made easier by constant rain. Adding insult to injury, we arrived at the Olympic compound only to discover that the room Nico was staying in had been burglarized. Three of our players lost all their electronics and other valuables and one lost his passport. Amazingly, Nico’s belongings were undisturbed. Apparently the thief had to make a hasty exit. Cue memories of my last visit to Costa Rica when all my camera gear was stolen. Hours were spent investigating and providing the police with necessary details. A decision on withdrawing from the tournament to help our stranded player with obtaining a replacement passport was postponed until the morning.
