USA vs. Costa Rica: How to watch and stream, preview for Wednesday's friendly

Ari Liljenwall

Coming off their dramatic and emotional Concacaf Nations League triumph, the US men's national team will be back at it as the Yanks take the field again for an international friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday.

While there won't be a trophy on the line this time, the match still marks the final tune-up opportunity for Gregg Berhalter and Co. ahead of this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup, making it another potentially valuable data point in assessing personnel before it's back to competitive action. And for many of the European-based players, it is likely to be the last action for the USMNT before World Cup qualifying begins in September.

It will also mark the 40th all-time meeting between the countries, with the US holding a 17-16-6 edge.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday's matchup as the Yanks march onward.

When

Wednesday, June 9 | 7 pm ET

Where

Rio Tinto Stadium | Sandy, Utah

How to watch and stream

ESPN2/Watch ESPN
UniMas/TUDN

What to know: USA

The USMNT players are no doubt riding high coming into the matchup, on the heels of one of the biggest victories for the program in recent years with Sunday's epic triumph over El Tri that delivered them the first-ever Concacaf Nations League trophy. The quick turnaround to Wednesday's friendly was by design, in order to simulate a similar rhythm to the schedule the players will be playing during World Cup Qualifying, which is fast approaching in September. How the players respond to the congested timeframe coming off the emotional victory is one thing to keep an eye on.

Exactly how Gregg Berhalter chooses to line up is another. Should the US coach decide to ease the workload on standout regulars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, it might take off some of the star power, but it would also mean game time for some depth players looking to make their case that they should stay in the fold. Either way, there are plenty of future implications.

What to know: Costa Rica

On the other side, Costa Rica can always be counted on as a tough Concacaf adversary, even if recent results haven't gone the of Los Ticos. It was almost Costa Rica that ended Mexico's Concacaf Nations League hopes before they even reached the final, as they battled El Tri to a 0-0 draw, only to lose the penalty-kick shootout. They then also fell short to Honduras on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the third-place match. They're now only 1-6-5 under manager Rónald González, so they'll be plenty motivated to try and use the matchup with the Yanks to get on the right track.

The Costa Rican roster features plenty of MLS representation, including Francisco Calvo (Chicago Fire FC), Luis Diaz (Columbus Crew), Ariel Lassiter (Houston Dynamo FC), Randall Leal (Nashville SC), Giancarlo Gonzalez (LA Galaxy) and Joseph Mora (D.C. United).