As the leading scorers on the San Jose Earthquakes, forwards Chris Wondolowski and Marco Ureña have a strong connection on the pitch. With Ureña’s work ethic and Wondolowski’s knack for finding pockets of space and finishing with precision, the pair prove to be dangerous for the Quakes up top.
“I really enjoy playing with Marco,” said Wondolowski. “His work ethic is contagious and he does a great job of being able to battle and stretch the field in the many things that he does out there.”
This Friday, the two that generally play together will face each other on the international stage, wearing opposing team jerseys.
“We were just joking that we were best friends tonight, but now we will be enemies for about a week and then Friday we will be best friends again after the game,” said Wondolowski following the 3-0 victory against LA last Sunday. Both Ureña and Wondolowski scored in the match.
The 2018 World Cup Qualifier between Costa Rica and the United States is an important one with both teams looking to draw points. Costa Rica currently sits in second place in the Hex, the fifth and final round of qualifying for CONCACAF, while the U.S. is in third.
The two teams have already met in the Qualifiers, with the Ticos downing the U.S. 4-0 on Nov. 15 of last year. At that time, Ureña was not yet a Quake, joining the team on Jan. 27, 2017, and Wondolowski was not named to the U.S. squad then lead by Jurgen Klinsmann.
“I told him that we are no longer friends until after the USA game,” Ureña said jokingly after the LA match. “I speak with him, he has good chemistry on the pitch, and off the pitch he is a great person. We get along well and he is a great player that I respect.”
The players will face off with their respective national teams at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on Friday, Sept. 1 at 3:55 p.m. PT televised on ESPN, Univision and UDN.
