But Friday it will do something it has never done when it meets Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena , just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, in the first qualifier the U.S. has ever played in the New York metropolitan area ( ESPN , Univision, 3:55 p.m. PDT).

McCarty said that support could be crucial since Friday’s game is a must-win affair for the U.S., which leads Panama by a point for CONCACAF’s third and final invitation to next summer’s World Cup with four qualifiers remaining.

That means the Americans, who were humiliated by Costa Rica 4-0 on the road last November, can’t afford to leave any more points on the table — especially since they have only one home game left after Friday.

Speaking of injuries, when the U.S. beat Costa Rica in a Gold Cup semifinal earlier this summer the Central Americans were missing six players.

That will put extra pressure on playmaking midfielder Bryan Ruiz and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, Real Madrid’s starting keeper in the last two Champions League finals.