Having enjoyed a few days of vacation it is now time to get down to business. In my capacity as the Vice President of the American Amputee Soccer Associations and more importantly, the team photographer, I am in Costa Rica to support the US National Amputee Soccer team as they face Costa Rica in a series of three international friendly matches. The team is being hosted at the Costa Rican Olympic Training Center, an oasis in an otherwise densely populated suburb of San Jose. Nicolai is captain of the US team and was featured in a flattering article published earlier this week in the local paper. I used Google to translate the article into English.

The team’s first match was this afternoon in a light rain. At the end of regulation time the score was tied 0-0. By prior agreement, a winner would be determined in a penalty kick shoot out. Thanks to some outstanding goal tending, the US went up two goals to zero. A third goal would secure victory and Nico delivered a low shot to the right corner for the win and celebration with his teammates. It must be said that officiating was fairly one-sided making the victory that much sweeter.