Uruguay denies Costa Rica World Cup trip with 1-1 draw

November 19, 2009


Uruguay held Costa Rica to a 1-1 draw Wednesday night, claiming the last berth in the 32-team World Cup field and denying the Ticos a third straight trip to the quadrennial championship.

Uruguay enjoyed the majority of possession and chances and advanced with a 2-1 aggregate victory in the two-leg playoff.

Sebastian Abreu put Uruguay ahead with his 28th career international goal in the 70th, but Walter Centeno restored the Ticos’ hopes only four minutes later.

Costa Rica, which led the United States by two goals with 18 minutes remaining on October 14 in a match where a victory would have earned it a fourth appearance at the World Cup, was 30 seconds from a berth but surrendered a goal 4½ minutes into injury time to settle for a 2-2 draw.

The result finished Costa Rica behind the United States, Mexico and Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

Wednesday’s result extended Costa Rica’s winless streak against Uruguay to eight with only its second draw.

Uruguay dominated with Nacional midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, whose two goals helped his country into the second round at last month’s Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.

Lodeiro started in the fourth minute, bending a free kick from 35 yards that bounced just wide of the post, and twice more driving down the middle of the field setting up chances for Luis Suarez in the 34th and one of his own a minute later.

Uruguay’s best chance before Abreu’s goal came in a blast from distance by Diego Forlan that had to be tipped over the bar by Costa Rican keeper Keilor Navas in the seventh minute. Cristian Bolanos had a similar chance for Costa Rica in the 36th that forced goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to dive to his right to push it around the post.

Abreu, who replaced Suarez only five minutes earlier, put Uruguay ahead by out-leaping his marker at the edge of the six-yard box and driving Andres Scotti’s cross past Navas. Centeno finished his chance from just inside the area in the 74th to quiet the crowd at Estadio Centenario.

Alvaro Saborio had a chance in the 87th to give Costa Rica the lead, but his left-footer from inside the area struck the near-side netting.

Uruguay, which lost in a World Cup qualifying playoff four years ago to Australia, will be making its first appearance in the championship since 2002.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay

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Uruguay tops Costa Rica 1-0 in first leg of World Cup playoff

November 16, 2009

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Uruguay damaged Costa Rica’s hopes of qualifying for a third straight World Cup, scoring a first-half goal and holding off the 10-man Ticos 1-0 Saturday night in the first leg of their inter-confederation playoff.

Diego Lugano capitalized from the second chance off the same corner in the 22nd minute and Uruguay will return home on Wednesday for the second leg with a clear advantage.

Randall Azofeifa all but sealed Costa Rica’s fate in the 53rd minute, arriving late for a challenge on Alvaro Fernandez, tripping him with a lunging left leg and drawing his second yellow card from Spanish referee Alberto Undiano.

Costa Rica, playing without manager Rene Simoes on the bench due to his expulsion from the Ticos’ final CONCACAF qualifier on October 14 against the United States in Washington, had the better possession early. Walter Centeno had a chance from distance in the 19th and it created a number of set piece situations that appeared to give it the early momentum.

But Uruguay, which trained in Guatemala to get accustomed to Estadio Saprissa’s artificial turf pitch, adjusted and scored with a second effort on Nicolas Lodeiro’s corner kick.

Lugano headed Lodeiro’s offering at goal, which had to be headed off the line at the right post by Azofeifa. The ball sailed to the top of the area, where Fernandez sent it back in and Lugano reacted, getting enough of a high right leg to push it inside the right post, where goalkeeper Keilor Navas could reached while being blocked by Azofeifa.

Uruguay had better possession after the goal, but Costa Rica had its best chance in the 43rd when Azofeifa’s ball out of the midfield was flicked high past Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who had come off his line, but sailed just over the bar.

Costa Rican felt it should be offered the chance to equalize in the 48th when Uruguayan defender Sebastian Eguren appeared to settle a high ball at the top of the area with his right arm. Television replays appeared to indicate Eguren clearly hit the ball with his upper right arm, but Undiano allowed play to continue and five minutes later Azofeifa was sent off.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica

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Uruguay down Costa Rica to seize World Cup edge

November 15, 2009


Uruguay took a step toward the 2010 World Cup Saturday as captain Diego Lugano’s first-half strike proved enough for a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their qualifying playoff against Costa Rica.

The second leg of the tie will be on Wednesday in Montevideo, where Costa Rica can expect to be hard pressed to turn things around.

But Costa Rica’s Brazilian coach Rene Simoes insisted his players can win in Stadio Centenario.

“We have to believe in ourselves,” Simoes said. “Why ca’t we win in Centenario?”

Uruguay are hoping to return to the global football showcase after failing to qualify in 2006.

Costa Rica, who have appeared in the last two World Cups, were less than 30 seconds from qualifying last month when they allowed Jonathan Bornstein’s goal in injury time to give the United States a 2-2 draw at Washington.

That gave Honduras the third and final direct entry berth from the North and Central America and the Caribbean region.

Uruguay reached the playoff by finishing fifth in South American qualifying.

In an often patchy first half, it was Uruguay who pressed the action forward.

Costa Rica, unable to challenge Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera, were unlucky in the 20th minute when injury forced defender Gilberto Martinez off after a collision with Alvaro Fernandez.

While he was receiving treatment, Uruguay took full advantage as Diego Forlan came close to scoring with a center that crossed the face of the goal.

On the ensuing corner Forlan rose to head the ball, Costa Rica failed to clear the danger and Lugano seized upon the loose ball to slot it home in the 21st minute.

Costa Rica had a chance to equalize shortly before halftime, but Bryan Ruiz’s header off Randall Azofeifa’s cross went over the crossbar.

Costa Rica’s efforts to find the equalizer were further hindered when they were reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute when Azofeifa recieved his second yellow card.

Uruguay were unable to capitalize on their advantage, but neither could Costa Rica make their spirited efforts pay as attempts from Alvaro Saborio and Walter Centeno failed to really test Muslera.

Fernandez had a chance to add to Uruguay’s lead with three minutes remaining, but his header was blocked by Junior Diaz.

Simoes said Costa Rica’s big mistake was failing to apply enough pressure on the Uruguayan goal in the first half.

“We played very well in the second half. This part of the match was really good.”

SAN JOSE (AFP)

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