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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann stayed with basically the same starting lineup against Costa Rica that opened Friday's 2-1 loss to Mexico but switched to a conventional 4-4-2 formation.
Brad Guzan was in goal for Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier at sold-out Estadio Nacional after entering in the 40th minute against Mexico due to Tim Howard's right leg injury.
Tim Chandler was at right back, John Brooks and Omar Gonzalez in central defense, and Matt Besler at left back. Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones were in the midfield along with 18-year-old Christian Pulisic and Fabian Johnson, and Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood were up front.
Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya did not dress because of tightness in his left hamstring.
Klinsmann started with a 3-4-1-2 formation against Mexico that had Brooks, Gonzalez and Besler as center backs, and Chandler and Johnson as wingers, then switched to a 4-4-2 midway through the first half after Mexico went ahead. Wood tied the score, but Rafa Marquez's goal on an 89th-minute header sent the U.S. to its first home loss in qualifying since 2001.
The U.S. entered 0-8-1 in qualifiers at Costa Rica and was in danger of an 0-2 start in the hexagonal, the format for the final round of qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region since the 1998 tournament. Each team plays 10 games in the round, which runs through next October.
Costa Rica made three changes from the starting lineup in Friday's 2-0 win at Trinidad and Tobago, when center back Francisco Calvo got hurt and right back Cristian Gamboa was given a yellow card that caused a one-game suspension.
Johan Venegas started at forward, Jose Salvatierra took over for Gamboa and Michael Umana for Calvo.
The rest of the 5-4-1 formation had Keylor Navas in goal; Kendall Waston and Jhonny Acosta with Umana at center back and Ronald Matarrita at left back.
Randall Azofeifa, Celso Borges, Christian Bolanos and Bryan Ruiz were in the midfield, with Venegas up front.
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