USA vs. Costa Rica Odds: CONCACAF Soccer Betting Odds

CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup continues on Wednesday as the U.S. men’s national team will face Costa Rica in soccer betting odds from RFK stadium in Washington D.C. at 8:00pm EST on ESPN2 and Galavision in a game that could give the U.S. a first place finish in their group. The U.S. (19 points) holds a slight lead over Mexico (18 points) with Costa Rica (15 points) rounding at the top 3. The U.S. soccer team is favored -1/2 goal against Costa Rica in soccer odds with a total of 2.5 OVER (-115) at online sportsbooks.

The U.S. earned the top place position in CONCACAF after a thrilling win against Honduras last Saturday which sealed their sixth straight World Cup invitation. Julio Leon scored first in the 47th minute to give Honduras a 1-0 lead in the second half before the U.S unloaded with 2 goals from Conor Casey in the 58th and 65th minute while Landon Donovan added the finishing touch in the 69th minute. The game had a dramatic ending though with Leon adding another goal in the 78th minute and Carlos Pavon missing a penalty in the 87th minute. "It never gets old, that's for sure," Donovan said. "After what most of us would say was a very disappointing 2006 World Cup, we now have a chance at redemption." Although the U.S. soccer team is sipping champagne basking in the glory, a victory in Wednesday’s CONCACAF match-up against the “Ticos” will not come lightly.

Only a win will send the Central American team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and with the U.S. team already qualified, punters looking at soccer betting odds for this match are leaning towards Costa Rica with +1/2 goal (-120). Although they are the underdogs, the Ticos will have plenty of confidence as they step on the pitch Wednesday since the last time the two teams met on June 3rd at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in Costa Rica, the U.S. lost 3-1. The only goal for the U.S. squad came in the 90th minute from Donovan on a questionable penalty call. "We consider us probably the fastest, strongest team in the region, but today we got out-passed, outplayed and out-competed in every sense," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said after the loss. "We were below average across the board."

One reason why the U.S. squad is only a half goal favorite in soccer odds is because they will be without forward Charlie Davies after he was involved in a one car accident early Tuesday morning on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia. Davies is in serious but stable condition after hours of surgery to repair a lacerated bladder, multiple bone fractures to his right tibia and femur as well as fractures to his left elbow and face. Other CONCACAF matches on Wednesday will feature Honduras vs. El Salvador with Honduras a ½ goal favorite and Mexico a ½ goal favorite against Trinidad and Tobago.

Lanning's Soccer Betting Picks: The U.S. has already qualified for the 2010 World Cup so finishing on top of the CONCACAF leaderboard really isn't something to fight for. My soccer pick for Wednesday's match-up is to take Costa Rica plus a half goal to the UNDER in a 2-team parlay.