El Salvador stuns Costa Rica 2-1 with late goal

July 4, 2009

CARSON, California – El Salvador charged to the top of the the Gold Cup’s Group A Friday night, beating Costa Rica 2-1 with an 86th-minute goal from Osael Romero.

It was Romero’s second of the evening, adding to his 20th-minute tally that put El Salvador ahead. Costa Rica equalized in the 64th, but were unable to contain a potent El Salvador that ended a four-game losing streak to its Central American neighbor.

The game began at a frantic pace, both teams bolstered by a thunderous capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center. El Salvador had the better of play, creating a few near-chances inside the Costa Rican penalty area and drawing two yellow cards on the “Ticos” in the first 10 minutes.

“La Selecta” was finally rewarded in the 20th minute when William Reyes headed a long Miguel Montes punt into the path of Osael Romero. Romero broke free down the left side of the box, beat Costa Rican defender Pablo Herrera with a quick stepover, and drilled a shot into the top left corner.

Seemingly not content with the potency of his attack in the first half an hour, Costa Rican manager Rodrigo Kenton brought in speedy midfielder Andy Herron to replace Harold Wallace in the 32nd minute to add speed in the offensive third. The move almost had an immediate effect, with Herron earning a handful of throw-ins and corner kicks, and providing Centeno with a good option on the right flank.

Costa Rica responded with its own push, threatening El Salvadorian net several times. The best chance came in the 40th minute when Celso Borges got onto the end of a Walter Centeno corner kick, heading a low ball against right post before being it was cleared.

El Salvador almost doubled its lead in the 50th minute when Julio Martinez sent a cross in from the right flank that Reyes almost put into the top corner. Only a diving swat from goalkeeper Keilor Navas held the lead to one.

Costa Rica found its equalizer when Esteban Sirias broke free along the left flank and sent a high cross into the penalty area. Substitute striker Warren Granados rushed into the area and volleyed the ball into the top of the net to even the score 1-1.

The Ticos continued to pound the El Salvadorian defense as the game went on, but were caught napping in the 86th minute. Reyes sent a low ball into the penalty area that was deflected into the path of Romero. The striker hammered home the game-winner to take Costa Rica to the top of Group A ahead of the second round of games in Columbus on Tuesday.

By Jeffrey King

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Tags: Andy Herron, California, CARSON, carson california, Central American, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, corner kick, corner kicks, Costa Rica, El Salvador, el salvadorian, Esteban Sirias, frantic pace, game losing streak, gold cup, Harold Wallace, high cross, home depot, home depot center, Jeffrey King, julio martinez, keilor, lead, left flank, Miguel Montes, minute goal, pablo herrera, Rodrigo Kenton, sirias, ticos, Walter Centeno, Warren Granados, William Reyes, yellow cards

El Salvador flying, Honduras sagging entering World Cup qualifying clash

June 9, 2009

The last time Honduras was at Estadio Olimpico, Los Catrachos celebrated a 3-1 victory against Mexico in the final game of the Sven-Goran Eriksson era.

Honduras returns to San Pedro Sula Wednesday, but in a far less festive mood after falling to the United States 2-1 at Chicago’s Solider Field on Saturday night. That’s because El Salvador beat El Tri on Saturday night in San Salvador and has moved in front of Honduras in the final hexagonal stage of World Cup qualifying.

With El Salvador in fourth and Honduras one point behind, it makes Wednesday night’s clash pivotal in the standings.

“We will play very difficult rivals,” Honduran coach Reinaldo Rueda said. “They are upbeat after beating Mexico…We did not gain any points last Saturday, so we are under pressure.”

Rueda wasn’t happy with his team’s performance against a U.S. team that rebounded from a 3-1 thrashing in Costa Rica on Wednesday.

“We were beaten by a team that didn’t do a lot,” he said. “They were no better than us, but profited from our mistakes.”

After Carlos Costly put the visitors in front in the fifth minute, Landon Donovan struck just before the half from the penalty spot and Carlos Bocanegra won the game with a diving header in the 67th minute for the U.S.

“It was very difficult for us,” Honduran midfielder Ramon Nunez said. “They had two chances. They scored both. We have to pick up the team from this loss. We’ll go home and get a win on Wednesday.”

Meanwhile, El Salvador, which needed an 86th-minute penalty kick by Eliseo Quintanilla to beat Mexico 2-1 at home Saturday has new hope that a berth into next summer’s FIFA World Cup is a possibility.

El Salvador, which entered Saturday tied with Trinidad & Tobago in the basement of CONCACAF’s final hexagonal stage, moved into third place, in front of both Honduras and Mexico.

“The victory over Mexico made us feel full of joy and we can now set ourselves high targets,” El Salvadorian defender Alex Escobar said. “We are third in qualification and our chance is real again…We know we have to put in a big effort to make it to the World Cup. This is everybody’s dream and the Honduras match is the next step.”

Juan Martinez, who not only scored the game’s first goal in the 11th minute, also set up the decisive penalty, isn’t ready to celebrate just yet.

“We are very happy to have beaten the Mexicans, but we know this is in the past now and we must work as strongly as we did for that match,” he said. “We want to keep up our good form and clinch qualification to the World Cup.”

Not only has El Salvador’s victory over the perennial CONCACAF powerhouse brought a new sense of optimism to the country, but it has impressed Rueda, as well.

“They work very well,” said Rueda, whose squad has won its last five qualifiers in San Pedro Sula. “They have already proved they have the same chance of qualifying for the World Cup as we have.”

By Dylan Butler

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Tags: alex escobar, berth, carlos bocanegra, Carlos Costly, catrachos, Chicago, concacaf, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, Dylan Butler, El Salvador, el salvadorian, el tri, eliseo quintanilla, estadio olimpico, festive mood, FIFA, fifa world cup, final game, full of joy, Honduras, Juan, landon donovan, last saturday, Mexico, penalty kick, Ramon Nunez, reinaldo rueda, san pedro sula, San Salvador, solider field, Sven Goran Eriksson, Tobago, Trinidad, U.S., United States

Late penalty lifts El Salvdor 2-1, extends Mexico’s woes

June 7, 2009

SAN SALVADOR – A dramatic penalty kick with four minutes remaining by Eliseo Quintanilla lifted El Salvador to an emotional 2-1 win against Mexico at Estadio Cuscatlan Saturday night.

Quintanilla struck from the spot after Mexican defender Oscar Rojas blocked Julio Martinez’s cross while sliding near the end line.

Costa Rican referee Walter Quesada didn’t hesitate to point to the penalty spot where Quintanilla beat Oscar Perez to the goalkeeper’s right, sending a packed Estadio Cuscatlan into a frenzy.

Quintanilla’s penalty came after one from Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who made his return to the Mexican national team by entering as a halftime substitute to score the equalizer in the 71st minute.

El Salvador, which entered the day tied with Trinidad & Tobago in last place in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, moved into third place in the “hexagonal” ahead of both Honduras and Mexico. Despite Javier “El Vasco” Aguirre’s return as head coach, El Tri, meanwhile, continued to struggle. The result left the Mexicans with just one win in their last seven matches and sit in fifth place, one point in front of the Soca Warriors.

Not only did Martinez set up the winning goal, he also scored the first in the 11th minute. Rodolfo Zelaya started the play by dribbling past Ricardo Osorio and Gerardo Torrado near the corner flag and cut inside of the 18-yard box.

His first attempt was blocked, but as his teammates shouted for a handball, Martinez took a touch with his left foot and fired the ball with his right from 14 yards past Perez.

Mexico had the best of the early chances with Andres Guardardo getting on the end of Fernando Arce’s cross, but his header was saved by El Salvadorian goalkeeper Miguel Montes, who dived to his right to make the save in the fifth minute.

Three minutes later, Guardardo tried to chip Montes from the right edge of the box, but his attempt was well wide of the target.

After Martinez gave El Salvador the lead, Arce nearly equalized for El Tri in the 25th minute, catching Montes, who was expecting a cross, off guard. But Montes recovered in time to get a piece of the shot.

Two minutes later, Perez came off his line to challenge Alfredo Pacheco’s cross, spilling it inside the box. Martinez pounced on the ball, but he pushed the ball just wide of the far post.

Moments later Pacheco exchanged blows with Guillermo Franco as the two jockeyed for position on a corner kick. The incident went undetected by Quesada, and Pacheco got the worst of it, needing to have his forehead wrapped to treat a cut.

Blanco came on at the half and struck for the dramatic equalizer after Manuel Sanchez hauled down Franco in the box. El Temo had seemingly saved Mexico once again, but Quintanilla’s penalty in the 86th minute proved to be the difference for El Salvador, which survived a scare moments later when Blanco’s second apparent equalizer was ruled offside by the linesman.

Mexico returns home to face Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday night at Estadio Azteca, while El Salvador heads to San Pedro Sula to take on Honduras on Wednesday.

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