The United States men's national team played with fire — and played with fire — in its Gold Cup quarterfinal with Costa Rica on Sunday, emerging after penalties thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Matt Freese.

The USMNT looked as stagnant as ever, until Malik Tillman played a slick one-two with Patrick Agyemang. Tillman's cross came to nothing, but a Costa Rican follow-through caught his ankle. A few minutes later, referee Walter Lopez went to the monitor, and, after a VAR review, pointed to the penalty spot.