Chicago Fire FC defender Mauricio Pineda and the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team got off to a victorious start in the Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship with a gritty 1-0 win against Costa Rica on Thursday.
Pineda got the starting nod in central defense alongside Real Salt Lake's Justen Glad, put in a 90-minute shift, and helped head coach Jason Kreis' side begin their qualifying campaign with a clean sheet.
The Bolingbrook, Ill. native also began the sequence that resulted in Jesus Ferreira's winning goal for the States in the 35th minute. Controlling possession high in the U.