Finally, a win!  The US defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in the first round of consolation play. Nico scored on a penalty kick and had an assist for which he is being thanked above.  The coaching and medical staff were equally moved when the final whistle blew. 

The US game was at 2pm local time, our first during proper daylight.  The sun was diffused by clouds, perfect conditions for sports photography and Nico was kind enough to provide some very athletic moments for me to capture . The only complaint I have about this World Cup tournament is the extremely poor night game lighting.  It is so dim that the players complain about seeing the ball. Taking high quality photographs with so little illumination is next to impossible. Today I was excited to finally have a chance to create some nice images. I have already taken two thousand action photos and half as many off field shots.  Slow internet has prevented me from uploading them, something I will take care of as soon as I return to the states.  I will be sure to post links to the albums when I do.

On the way back to the hotel after the match I ran into a couple of girls that were ready for their Day of the Dead festivities.  I can’t wait for tomorrow when I suspect most of the locals will be in costume.