three that were worthy of highlight-reel status -- on the night in front of 40,000-plus at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Borussia Moenchengladbach standout kept the Ticos off the board at a time when the U.S. was holding only a one-goal lead.
However, Keller's play was one of many bright spots for the Americans during their World Cup qualifying win. Many of the top performances came from players that make their living in Major League Soccer, led by the two goals from Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan.
Since five members of Arena's starting unit and each of the three substitutes that entered the match in the second half call MLS home, let's take a closer look at their play in report card-style fashion:
Donovan: Part of the strategy in a home qualifier is to come out hard the first 10 or 15 minutes and push the visiting team back on their heels. That mission was accomplished perfectly when Donovan's beautiful right-footed strike from the top of the box in the sixth minute finished off a play that he created from midfield.
After starting the attack by pushing the ball wide to Steve Ralston, the 23-year-old attacking midfielder kept pushing forward. When Ralston's cross into DaMarcus Beasley got deflected back by Gilberto Martinez towards the 18-yard marker, Donovan ran onto the ball and hit a bending shot with precision to the top left corner to get the U.S. on the board.
His second goal was more of a result of Brian McBride beating his defender to a Josh Wolff cross to create a rebound off Costa Rica goalkeeper Alvaro Mesen, but it still was a heady play for Donovan to complete his run and quickly put the ball away before Mesen could recover. It was the 21st international goal for the Redlands, Calif., native, which now ties him for fourth on the U.S. team's all-time list for goals scored with Bruce Murray.
In a very energetic performance that saw Donovan orchestrate the U.S. attack much more often than he was able to the previous week in the 2-1 loss to England, he looked more like the player that U.S. fans have come to rely on the past few years.
While Donovan gave the ball away a few times when he really wasn't pressured, he also was the one that found Clint Dempsey in the middle of the box late in the match that resulted in McBride's goal for the U.S. in the 87th minute to complete the scoring.
Overall grade: A-
Eddie Pope, Real Salt Lake: The veteran defender headed a three-man backline against Costa Rica, and successfully bounced back from a rare subpar performance turned in against England last weekend in Chicago.
From the start of the match, Pope looked to get the ball forward out of back, utilizing some additional time and space he had since Costa Rica opened in a 5-4-1 formation with Oscar Rojas acting as the lone striker. With Rojas constantly trying to run on to through-balls out of the midfield, Pope was quick to step his defense up to catch him offsides. The plan worked to perfection, as Costa Rica was whistled for being off five times in the first 30 minutes of the match, which stifled nearly every opportunity the Ticos had.
Pope wasn't put in a situation where he had to win several balls in the air, but he was solid when he had to. Probably his most important work of the night came for the final third of the match when striker Paulo Wanchope was inserted into the game. An apparent illness to the former Manchester City forward forced him to come off the bench, making it important for Pope to shut him down and not allow him to breathe new life into the Costa Rican attack.
The Real Salt Lake defender, playing in front of his home fans, did not do that, and finished out a solid, but not dominant, performance for the evening.
Overall grade: B
Steve Ralston, New England Revolution: Getting his third consecutive start for the U.S., the soon-to-be 31-year-old (June 14) was more involved in the match than he was against England, yet not overly effective as the side's right-sided midfielder in a 3-4-3 formation. Known for his curling crosses into the box, Ralston's serves were a bit off the mark throughout the night.
On Donovan's first goal, Ralston's ball into Beasley didn't quite reach him, yet it did force the awkward deflection that led to the goal. He also combined well at times with the forwards, particularly during a the end of the first half when he freed Beasley in the box on a well-timed one-two up the right side.
It also must be noted that Keller's best save of the evening came off a head ball by midfielder Jafet Soto on a cross from the right side in the 60th minute. While the ball sailed across the box, Ralston appeared to stop dead in his tracks rather than turn and find his mark or jump back to his right to make a play for the ball. This allowed Soto to have a free header at the U.S. goal. Had it not been for the remarkable left-handed diving save by Keller, the match would have been knotted at 1-1, and it would have made for an entirely different situation over the final 30 minutes.
Overall grade: B-
Kerry Zavagnin, Kansas City Wizards: The holding midfielder quietly did his job once again, as the wily 30-year-old kept the ball moving and clogged up the passing lanes in the middle of the field throughout the night. The thing you have to appreciate about Zavagnin is that he never holds on to the ball for too long and allows the defense to slide into position. He's always quick to play the ball and usually makes the right decision on where it should go, just as he did during the match against Costa Rica.
On a rare offensive moment, Zavagnin sent Beasley in with a well-timed ball with his left foot to find the PSV Eindhoven winger in stride in the 31st minute. Beasley's shot from the left side was directed right at the 'keeper and was pushed away.
Without Claudio Reyna and Pablo Mastroeni available for Wednesday night's match against Panama, one would think that Arena will continue to use Zavagnin in such a role.
Overall grade: B+
Josh Wolff, Kansas City Wizards: On a night when Wolff's speed was never really utilized and he was kept in check for most of the match, the striker was able to help the U.S. score that all-important second goal when his right-footed cross on a bouncing ball in the right corner was placed on the head of McBride that ended up resulting in Donovan's tally in the 62nd minute. Wolff was replaced by Pat Noonan immediately after the goal, making it a short night's work for the veteran U.S. player.
Overall grade: C+
Pat Noonan, New England Revolution: Inserted into the match as a striker alongside McBride as Arena's first substitute off the bench, the 24-year-old Noonan didn't have much of an impact on the match. His biggest contribution might have been when he ran back into the midfield and dispossessed one of the Costa Rican midfielders during a build up when the score was still just 2-0.
Overall grade: C
Frankie Hejduk, Columbus Crew: Came on for Bobby Convey in the 74th minute as the team's left back. He added some speed to the side of the field that Costa Rica found most of their success on, and put out a few fires late in the match.
If Arena can't find a suitable left back, including Convey since he spent much of the night back there rather than in the midfield, using Hejduk on that side isn't the worst idea in the world.
Overall grade: B
Clint Dempsey, New England Revolution: Made a quick cameo for the U.S. as the team's third substitute in the 86th minute. Nearly scored his second goal for the U.S. in two weeks when he received a ball from Donovan in the middle of the box moments after coming into the game. Dempsey made a quick shimmy to fake out the goalkeeper, and bounced a shot off of him that sailed over to McBride on the right side, who volleyed home the team's third and final goal.
No matter where Dempsey is these days -- for both club and country -- the goals seem to follow.
Overall grade: B
Marc Connolly writes for ESPN.com and several other publications. This column runs each Wednesday on MLSnet.com and Marc can be reached at marc@oakwoodsoccer.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
