With one win and one loss, today’s match between the US and Costa Rican National teams was for all the marbles. Actually, it was for the President’s Cup trophy. Despite last night’s ordeal, the team voted to go ahead with the competition and on some level used their collective anger to push themselves to new limits. The US scored first; the Costa Ricans answered almost instantly. The US scored again and with just minutes left in the game the equalizer came, forcing another penalty kick shoot out. Thanks once again to our excellent keeper we were up 3-1 on PKs. Once again, Nico was summoned for the deciding kick which he put away definitively for the 4-1 win and his twentieth international goal. If you want to know what pure joy looks like, have a peek at the celebration below.

I will return to Boston totally exhausted and thoroughly happy for my solo time in nature and my community time with Nico and his teammates. A full set of soccer photos can be found here.