EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Brek Shea didnt expect to get off the bench Tuesday night. When he did, he grabbed the role of hero for the United States. Shea, who struggled in an earlier Gold Cup appearance, scored his first international goal off a feed from Landon Donovan in the 82nd minute, giving the United States a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica and the top spot in its group. Seconds after Sean Johnson made a brilliant save off a corner kick, Joe Corona cleared the ball, setting up the winning sequence. The veteran Donovan, trying to work his way back into a starring role on the national team after a self-imposed hiatus, took the ball on the right side. He quickly spotted Shea, who came on just five minutes earlier, streaking down the middle. Donovans pass hit Shea in stride, and the Stoke City player sent a left-footed shot from 15 yards off goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton for the winner, the Americans eighth straight victory, a team record. "Its good," Shea said, downplaying his massive contribution after struggling earlier in the tournament. "First U.S. goal, only goal of the game, it wins the group. Really good. "I still prepare the same way, but honestly, no," he added when asked if he thought coach Jurgen Klinsmann would use him. Klinsmann did call on Shea, showing faith in a player who has had his ups and downs in the national program. "We have a lot of young players coming through the ranks," Klinsmann said. "All these players, we need to carefully build them and support them when things go wrong. Eventually, it will pay off." The Americans will play El Salvador in the quarterfinals Sunday in Baltimore, while Costa Rica meets Honduras in the knockout round. Sheas goal broke a 785-minute string without being scored upon for Costa Rica. It followed Johnson, considered a fourth-stringer at best in the net for the United States, making a clutch stop on Carlos Johnson. "Once I made the save, we just tried to get it out of there," Sean Johnson said. "Then I saw it cleared and were breaking the other way. It created an opportunity and we finished it." The match was played in slightly different conditions than the last time the nations met. That was in a blizzard in Denver, with the United States edging Costa Rica 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier. Tuesday night, there was plenty of moisture on the pitch just before kickoff, but it came from sprinklers trying to keep the turf in shape during a northeastern heat wave. With both sides already having clinched moving on in the CONCACAF championship, not much happened offensively until late in the match in front of 25,432. Early in the second half, Costa Rica captain Pemberton came out of his net, collided with a teammate outside the area and then had the ball hit him squarely in the hands. He was given only a yellow card, however, then immediately made saves on Jose Torres curling free kick and Donovans shot off a rebound. That sequence opened up play for a while, but then it deteriorated into sloppiness and some roughness in midfield between teams with no love lost. U.S. captain DaMarcus Beasley took a nasty spill and was run over by Rodney Wallace early in the match. A woozy Beasley sat out three minutes before returning -- and almost immediately stripped the ball from Wallace. His teammates struggled to link up, showing their lack of familiarity with each other, through the first 20 minutes. Klinsmanns charge is to find the right combinations to get the Americans into the World Cup -- they lead CONCACAF qualifying through six games with 13 points, while Costa Rica is next with 11 -- and then perform well in Brazil. Hes using the Gold Cup to test as many players as possible, while giving most of the national team regulars who have done so well in qualifying a breather. "Its good giving them a taste of these kind of battles," Klinsmann said of using multiple lineups. "Well keep on building this and giving them opportunities whenever possible." Neither goalkeeper was particularly threatened until U.S. defender Clarence Goodson got free on the left side of the box late in the first half. His left-footed drive was deflected out of bounds by the defence. Costa Rica played a tightly packed defensive style for much of the match, but coach Jorge Luis Pinto felt his players handled themselves well. "The only thing we lacked was getting the goal," Pinto said. "The United States got the goal, we didnt." Notes: The other quarterfinals have Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba vs. Panama on Saturday in Atlanta. ... Costa Rica had won eight straight internationals. ... 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No one is probably happier to see Monfils exit the tournament than Djokovic, who won that match in four difficult sets.?You know, you work so hard for this moment, then [to] not be able [to] play your best is a huge deception for me, Monfils said in a news conference Wednesday. To not be able to finish it, I attempted to play in two matches. I have a couple of stuff I wanted to show. Im disappointed.One mans loss is anothers gain, though, and now alternate David Goffins trip to London wont be as just a tourist.There will be pride on the line in Thursdays afternoon session. Like all the original members of Group Ivan Lendl, Goffin has never beaten Djokovic. His losing streak stands at four, including a semifinal loss earlier this year in Miami.With a 2-0 record this week, Djokovic is already guaranteed a place in the semifinals as the group winner; little else will be at stake when the Belgian takes on the world No. 2.It is another boost for the 12-time Grand Slam champion, who is seeking a fifth consecutive title here and sixth overall. A championship would guarantee him the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fifth time in six years. Last Monday,?Andy Murray ended Djokovics 122-week reign at the top.Unlike Murray, who faces a tough battle against Stan Wawrinka?on Friday to potentially secure his place in the last four, Djokovic can put his feet up with an extra days rest.It could mean another trip to one of Londons green spots with his family.?Well, Hyde Park is one of thhe nicest parks there is in this city, Djokovic said of a venture outside earlier this week.dddddddddddd Because of its vastness, I guess you have so many different contents: the lake, nature, different amusement for adults and for children. My son is here. Obviously, I try to dedicate my time daily to him, at least in the morning.We take a stride. We play with the ducks and swans, ball, playground. It keeps me relaxed. It keeps me grounded as well. I get to spend time with my family and him, quality time. Its very important.Djokovic just needs to better Murray this week, which has become a more conceivable prospect as the week has progressed. The Scot might be on a 21-match win streak (including four titles), but he faces a nightmare run of three matches in three days, should he make it to the final.Playing a 3-hour, 20-minute marathon against Kei Nishikori?on Wednesday did not help his cause. Murray needed an ice bath after that grueling, three-set win.Although Djokovic doesnt have much on the line Thursday, Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem will compete in a straight shootout in the evening session, with the winner awarded second place -- and the coveted semifinal spot -- in the group.Hes playing well, Raonic said of the 23-year-old Austrian. Hes been doing stuff well throughout this whole year. Just like myself, he played extremely well at the beginning of the year. Hasnt necessarily played his best tennis since.Fortunately for me, I hope it works out that way. This is one of my best surfaces. I dont know if indoor hard courts is necessarily his. So hopefully I can take time away from him and play on my terms and have him react to the things I put forward and try to push him around.As the home stretch of this years ATP World Tour Finals approaches, the players are feeling the building pressure to win or go home. Everyone except Djokovic, that is. ' ' '