Costa Rica earns first trip to U-20 Women’s World Cup

February 2, 2010

Costa Rica earned its first trip to the Under-20 Women’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Canada in Saturday’s third-place game of the CONCACAF championship.

The result sent Costa Rica to Germany in July with the United States and Mexico, who were to play in the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship final later Saturday, and denied the two-time and defending champion Canadians their first trip in five tries.

The Ticas become the first team from outside North America to earn a berth at the World Cup from CONCACAF. Katherine Alvarado’s goal in the 19th minute was the difference, despite Canada enjoying slightly better possession and chances.

Alvarado lofted a free kick from 35 meters on the left that Canadian keeper Cynthia LeBlanc appeared to have covered. But LeBlanc drifted three meters off her line and then had to retreat, flailing unsuccessfully with her outstretched arm as the ball carried over her and under the bar into the goal.

It was only the third goal in five games allowed by Canada, and the second straight that LeBlanc appeared to flub.

In Thursday’s semifinals, she allowed a corner kick to slip through her hands, bounce off her face and into the goal in the 104th minute, enabling Mexico to win 1-0.

It also was the second straight game Canada was held without a goal and extended its goalless streak to 232 minutes.

Canada started quickly, creating its first chance 93 seconds after the opening kickoff when Christabel Oduro’s header off a cross from Bryana McCarthy was headed just wide at the right post.

Costa Rica had a goal disallowed a minute later for offside when LeBlanc was able to block Raquel Rodriguez Cedeno’s initial shot from outside the area, but wasn’t able to corral the rebound and Carolina Venegas tapped in the rebound.

After leaving Adriana Leon, who had two of Canada’s six goals, on the bench to start the match, coach Carolina Morace inserted her to start the second half. The Canadians had the majority of possession in the final 45 minutes, but were largely limited to chances from distance with Costa Rica often committing 10 players behind the ball.

It swarmed around the Costa Rican net for much of the final 15 minutes, forcing the ball into the Tica area in the 84th before it was finally cleared.

GUATEMALA CITY

Concacaf

Tags: adriana, canadians, cedeno, concacaf championship, corner kick, first chance, five games, free kick, mccarthy, offside, opening kickoff, place game, rebound, straight game, World Cup

Mexico tops Jamaica 2-0 for second win

January 24, 2010

Liliana Godoy scored for the second straight game and helped Mexico to a 2-0 victory over Jamaica on Saturday that helped assure El Tri of a semifinal berth at the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship.

Charlyn Corral also scored to give Mexico its second consecutive victory and gave it six points in Group B, just behind the United States.

The goals on either side of halftime highlighted a one-sided match in which Mexico had most of the possession but one in which neither team produced many chances.

Corral, who set up both goals in Mexico’s opening 2-1 victory over Trinidad on Thursday, finally got one of her own in the 45th minute. Godoy sent a high, looping cross from the right that goalkeeper Sashagay Spence was able to get a hand to. But the ball deflected onto Mexican captain Lydia Rangel at the back post and bounded into the middle of the area where Corral pounced opportunistically.

Jamaica, which was beaten 6-0 in its opener on Thursday, often keep eight or nine players in its own half in the first 45 minutes, limiting Mexico’s ability to create anything, but also prohibiting it from getting numbers forward.

It started the second half with an apparent more offensive mindset, and paid for the tactical change quickly.

Godoy traded passes with Sandra Mayor at the top of the offensive third before unleashing a 30-meter blast that curled just inside the left post out of the reach of a diving Spence.

Jamaica’s chances were almost exclusively limited to shots from distance, the best of which came less than two minutes after the opening kickoff when Nicole Campell launched a drive from midfield that settled on top of the net.

The second half was similar to the first with Mexico dominating possession and Jamaica finding it difficult to get out of its own end.

Mexico will face the United States in the group finale on Monday while Jamaica will face Caribbean rival Trinidad.

GUATEMALA CITY

Concacaf

Tags: campell, captain Lydia Rangel, Caribbean, charlyn corral, concacaf, consecutive victory, el tri, Goalkeeper, Godoy, guatemala city, Jamaica, jamaica 2, Liliana Godoy, lydia, Mexico, midfield, mindset, Nicole Campell, opening kickoff, Sandra Mayor, semifinal berth, sided match, six points, Spence, straight game, Tri, Trinidad, two minutes, United States

2009: El Salvador rules the sand to earn first title since 1943

December 17, 2009

Nothing was going to stop El Salvador from its first international title since 1943 _ not even swine flu.

The fabled “Fishermen of La Pirraya” beat Canada and the United States, then prevailed over Costa Rica 6-3 in the final to win the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship .

It was the first time in the five-year history of CONCACAF conducting a qualifying event for the Beach Soccer World Cup that neither Mexico nor the United States earned a berth to represent the region.

But El Salvador’s title didn’t come without delay.

Originally scheduled for April 29-May 3 in Puerto Vallarta, the CONCACAF beach championship was postponed a day before the start when an outbreak of influenza in Mexico forced government officials to close schools nationwide. CONCACAF officials, likewise, postponed the finals of the inaugural Champions League and cancelled the semifinals and finals of the Under-17 Championship ongoing in .

When it was rescheduled for mid-June in the Pacific resort, Mexico and the United States still remained the prohibitive favorites.

Mexico won both its group matches – including a 4-1 win over El Salvador — by a combined 14-1 and, similarly, the United States breezed past Costa Rica and debutante Bahamas by a 12-3 aggregate.

But in the semifinals, despite a partisan home crowd of 3,000, Richard Sterling scored with 5:40 remaining to equalize 2-2 for Costa Rica, and Ticos went on to outlast the Mexicans on penalties 2-1 to earn their first trip to the World Cup.

In the other semi, Jose Agustin scored for a third straight game, tallying twice in the opening four minutes and again with 2:23 remaining to lead El Salvador over the United States 5-3.

A day later, Agustin scored his tournament-leading eighth goal to help Los Cuscatlecos over Costa Rica and its first title since it won the Central American and Caribbean Confederation (CCCF) title during World War II.

“We’ve improved a lot compared to last year,” El Salvador goalkeeper and captain Luis Rodas said. “The experience we’ve had going to Marseille and compete with the best teams in the world helped us a great deal.”

But the glory was short-lived. Come November at the World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, El Salvador and Costa Rica both were eliminated in three straight games.

Costa Rica was outscored 14-2, while El Salvador allowed a goal with 48 seconds remaining to lose to Ivory Coast 7-6 in its opener and never recovered.

“A World Cup is always a good experience for the team,” El Salvador coach Rudis Gonzalez said. “We have a very young side and we’ve only been working with them for three or four years. We still have a lot to learn and, though the boys have done a good job, we can’t compete against professional players and history.
“We have to keep developing the game so that we can change our role in the future and we need to try and be consistent over the three periods. We always seem to lose our balance. We have to get more experience and games under our belt.”

Concacaf

Tags: Agustin, Bahamas, canada and the united states, captain Luis Rodas, Central American, CONCACAF Beach, Costa Rica, debutante, eighth goal, El Salvador, first trip, Goalkeeper, jose agustin, Marseille, mexicans, Mexico, mexico and the united states, puerto vallarta, resort mexico, richard sterling, rodas, soccer championship, soccer world cup, straight game, ticos, united arab emirates, United States, world war ii

El Salvador falls again at Beach World Cup after taking early lead

November 17, 2009

CONCACAF champion El Salvador surrendered an early lead for the second straight game and lost 7-3 to Spain on Tuesday, endangering its chances of reaching the quarterfinals at the Beach Soccer World Cup.

Elsewhere, Costa Rica struggled again offensively and was beaten 6-0 by Argentina to leave it in last place in its first-round group.

Agustin Ruiz twice gave El Salvador a lead, first 6:44 after the opening kickoff and again 1:43 into the second period. But Amarelle equalized two seconds after Ruiz’s first goal and Javier Torres tallied a dramatic overhead kick five seconds after the second to tie the game 2-2.

Spain took its first lead on a goal by Nico but Israel Garay equalized once more before the end of the second period, this time for El Salvador. The Spanish then scored four unanswered goals, including a second by Javier Torres to secure the victory.

In the other game, Costa Rica was able to hold Argentina without a goal through the first period but then allowed two each by Federico Hilarie and Agustin Dallera to drop its second in as many days, losing both by a combined 11-1.

The results left El Salvador last in Group B with no points, five behind group leader Japan which it faces in its final match on Wednesday. Costa Rica is last in Group C behind Russia, Argentina and Italy. The Ticos will conclude their group scheduled against Italy on Wednesday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Source

Tags: amarelle, concacaf, dubai united arab emirates, El Salvador, final match, first period, garay, javier torres, overhead kick, quarterfinals, second period, straight game, united arab emirates

Costa Rica returns home from U-17s after 4-1 loss

November 1, 2009

Costa Rica was eliminated from the Under-17 World Cup on Saturday, playing a man down for all but the first 13 minutes and allowing two first-half goals before losing its second straight game, 4-1, to Burkina Faso.

The Ticos, whose older counterparts advanced to the Under-20 World Cup semifinals earlier this month, return home with fellow CONCACAF member and Central American rival Honduras, which was eliminated on Friday.

Adrian Mora was ejected by Uzbek referee Ravshon Irmatov a minute after Zidane Zoungrana gave Burkina Faso the lead.

Abdoulaye Ibrango doubled the advantage in the 38th and Louckmane Ouedraogo all but sealed the victory with a goal in the 82nd. Juan Golobio pulled Costa Rica within 3-1 in the 86th, but Bertrand Traore restored the three-goal bulge in the 90th.

Burkina Faso had more than twice as many shots on goal as the Costa Ricans (15-7) and earned a second-round match Thursday against the winner of Group E.

Costa Rica finished last in Group D with one point, earned in its opening 1-1 draw with New Zealand, and saw its streak of reaching the quarterfinals in the past four tournaments come to an end.

Mexico already has qualified for the second round and could be joined by the United States, which plays its final group game against the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

ENUGU, Nigeria

Source

Tags: 17s, Adrian Mora, Bertrand Traore, bulge, burkina faso, Central American, costa ricans, counterparts, E. Costa Rica, enugu nigeria, final group, group game, Honduras, Juan, Mexico, New Zealand, nigeria, ouedraogo, referee, shots on goal, straight game, ticos, united arab emirates, United States, World Cup

Another Gerba goal gives Canada 1-0 win over El Salvador

July 8, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ali Gerba’s goal in the 32nd minute gave Canada a 1-0 win over El Salvador Tuesday night and all but assured it of a berth in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The goal before a partisan El Salvadoran crowd at Columbus Crew Stadium was Gerba’s sixth in Gold Cup play, eclipsing the Canadian record of Carlo Corazzin.

It also was Gerba’s fifth goal in four games and 15 in his 26 matches.

More importantly, it moved Canada to the brink of the knockout round. Canada became the first team to reach six points, but with no draws yet in the tournament has not clinched a spot in the final eight.

Since Stephen Hart took over April 17 on an interim basis, Canada has won four in a row and appear poised to repeat its Gold Cup run of 2007.

In the earlier game, Costa Rica avenged its 1-0 loss to El Salvador with a 1-0 win over Jamaica, all but eliminating the Reggae Boyz.

Gerba, who was signed by Toronto FC last month, was added to bolster the Major League Soccer club’s finishing and demonstrated his knack for positioning for the second straight game.

Defender Paul Stalteri’s cross from the right side was headed away by defender Manuel Salazar, but only to the top of the penalty area. Patrice Bernier hit left-footed bouncer that Gerba was able to redirectwith an extended toe from the edge of the six-yard box.

El Salvador had two opportunities in the second half to equalize, but couldn’t finish.

Canadian goalkeeper Greg Sutton stretched to stop Salvador Correas’ high drive from 30 yards in the 55th minute.Two minutes later, William Reyes’ header sailed just wide of the post.

El Salvador trained to attack the center of Canada’s defense with its speed.But the Canadian midfield, led by Julian de Guzman, stifled those efforts.

De Guzman, Bernier and Atiba Hutchinson were instrumental in keeping the ball away from the Salvadorans in the first meeting between the two countries in 10 years.

After an uneventful 15 minutes with Canada controlling possession, the game opened up midway through the half.Gerba struck minutes later to give Canada a lead it would not relinquish.

El Salvador will face Jamaica on Friday, while Canada will face Costa Rica in Group A finale at Miami.

By Vijay Setlur

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Tags: ali gerba, atiba hutchinson, Canada, Carlo Corazzin, COLUMBUS, columbus crew, columbus crew stadium, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, correas, Costa Rica, El Salvador, fifth goal, Greg Sutton, Hutchinson, interim basis, julian de guzman, Major League Soccer, manuel salazar, Miami, Ohio, patrice bernier, paul stalteri, Reggae, reggae boyz, salvadorans, six points, soccer club, stephen hart, straight game, toronto fc, Vijay Setlur, William Reyes

Costa Rica, El Salvador claim berths in Beach Soccer World Cup

June 21, 2009

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Costa Rica and El Salvador both advanced to their first Beach Soccer World Cup, eliminating favorites Mexico and the United States in the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship on Saturday.

Costa Rica outlasted El Tri 2-1 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw while El Salvador subdued the United States 5-3 to assure CONCACAF of a champion from neither Mexico nor the USA for the first time.

It will be El Salvador’s second straight trip and Costa Rica’s first to the Beach Soccer World Cup, this year set for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates November 16-22.

In an earlier game, Canada handed the Bahamas its third straight loss, 4-3, to claim fifth place.

Jose Agustin scored for a third straight game, tallying twice in the opening four minutes to give El Salvador a 2-0 lead. The United States twice pulled within a goal, the last time when Raphael Xexeo scored to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Agustin scored his third of the game with 2:23 remaining to seal the victory for El Salvador.

Isaac Rodriguez and Christopher Flores rallied Mexico from an early deficit to give El Tri a 2-1 lead. But Richard Sterling equalized for Costa Rica with 5:40 to go in the third period and send the game to extra time. A goalless extra period sent the match to penalties, where Gustavo Rosales hit the post on his attempt, giving Enzo Mora the chance to claim a World Cup berth for Costa Rica.

“I can hardly believe we’re actually going to the World Cup, but we deserve it more than anybody,” Costa Rica coach Christian Ovares said. “We beat Mexico in their home in front of thousands of fans. I think we‘ve made a point. We belong among the best 16 teams in the world.”

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Tags: Agustin, Bahamas, beach soccer, berths, Canada, Christian Ovares, Christopher Flores, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf championship, Costa Rica, Dubai, El Salvador, el tri, extra time, flores, four minutes, Gustavo Rosales, Isaac Rodriguez, Jose, jose agustin, Mexico, mexico and the united states, mora, penalty kicks, puerto vallarta, puerto vallarta mexico, richard sterling, soccer world cup, straight game, straight loss, straight trip, third period, united arab emirates, United States, USA, world cup berth

USA wins third straight 3-0; Honduras reaches U-17 semifinals despite loss

April 26, 2009

TIJUANA, Mexico – Honduras became the third team to reach the semifinals of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship despite losing 3-0 to the United States on Saturday, advancing when Cuba beat Canada 2-1.

John McInerny scored for the third straight game and defender Nicholas Palodichuk had a pair of goals for the United States, which won all three of its first round games by a combined 12-2 score and finished atop Group A.

Honduras entered the match having secured its place in the semifinals and third of four berths from CONCACAF in the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria in October and November.

The United States will face the second-place team from Group B on Wednesday while Honduras will take on the Group B winner. Mexico, which already has clinched a semifinal berth, leads Group B with six points entering the final first-round matches on Sunday. Costa Rica is second with four points while Guatemala is third with one and Trinidad last after two heavy losses.

Trinidad faces Guatemala, and Costa Rica takes on Mexico on Sunday.

Honduras will enter the semifinals without coach Eugenio Umanzor, who was ejected in the 36th minute after arguing with referee Stanley Lancaster of Guyana. Following the second U.S. goal, Umanzor called his players to the bench for a discussion.

When prompted by Lancaster to restart the match, Umanzor refused and approached the touchline, drawing the referee’s red card.

McInerney’s goal was his fifth of the tournament, giving him the scoring lead and making the USA a candidate to win its third CONCACAF U-17 title.

Palodichuk scored in the 28th minute and added another in the final minute of the first half to pace the United States.

Much of the drama of the match was diffused earlier when Yaudel Lahera scored his second goal of the game in the second minute of second-half injury time, lifting Cuba past Canada 2-1. Canada needed to beat Cuba by a wide margin and have the United States do the same to Honduras to have any chance of advancing on goal difference.

The Canadians took the lead in the 81st minute with Justin Maheu’s first goal of the tournament. But Lahera equalized with a penalty in the 87th and then won it in stoppage time.

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Tags: 1 john, A. Honduras, bench, berths, Canada, canada 2, concacaf, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, Cuba, Eugenio Umanzor, first round games, goal difference, Guatemala, heavy losses, injury time, John McInerny, Justin Maheu, Lancaster, mcinerney, mcinerny, Mexico, Nicholas Palodichuk, nigeria, referee, semifinal berth, six points, straight game, tijuana mexico, U.S., United States, USA, wide margin, World Cup

W Connection beats Cavaly 3-1; Jabloteh needs late goal to topple Inter Moengo Tapoe 2-1

April 15, 2009

MARABELLA, Trinidad – Christian Viveros and Andre Toussaint both scored for a second straight game in the tournament and W Connection beat SA Cavaly of Haiti 3-1 on Monday to claim a first-leg victory in the second round of the Caribbean Club Championship.

Fellow Trinidadianc club San Juan Jabloteh also beat Suriname’s Inter Moengo Tapoe 2-1 in the second game of a doubleheader at Jabloteh’s Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, giving it the advantage for a semifinal berth in the event that will determine the Caribbean’s three teams for next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.

The second legs will be played April 20.

Viveros scored in the third minute to put W Connection ahead early, and Toussaint added his in the 49th. Toussaint had three goals and Viveros one in W Connection’s 12-1 victory over Bath Estate of Dominica on March 25, a first-round, second-leg win that completed a 17-1 aggregate triumph.

Hughton Hector, who had a goal in W Connection’s 5-0 first-leg victory over Bath Estate, completed his team’s scoring in the 53rd. Jean Millen scored for Cavaly in second-half injury time.

In the nightcap, Marvin Oliver scored with four minutes remaining to rescue San Juan Jabloteh, which received a bye into the second round. Jabloteh finally converted on a man advantage it had since the 32nd minute, when Cavaly’s Stefano Banetti drew a pair of yellow cards and was ejected.

Jerol Forbes put Jabloteh ahead in the 18th minute before Claudio Pinas equalized for 10-man Jabloteh in the 71st.

The Greenbay Hoppers of Antigua will face Tempete FC of Haiti in the remaining first leg match of the second round on April 20. Tempete will have the second leg on May 1 to complete the semifinal field.

The three second-round winners will advance to the single-game semifinals on May 15 with the Puerto Rico Islanders in Trinidad. The championship and third-place match will be held two days later, also in Trinidad.

CFU Club Champions Cup

Results and Schedule

First Round

First Leg

Wednesday, March 18

Bath Estate (Dominica) 0, W Connection (Trinidad) 5

CSD Barber (Netherlands Antilles) 1, Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 3

Saturday, March 21

Alpha United (Guyana) 1, Tempete FC (Haiti) 1

Sevilla FC (Puerto Rico) 3, Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) 3

Sunday, March 22

SA Cavaly (Haiti) 5, SV Britannia (Aruba) 0

Second Leg

Wednesday, March 25

W Connection (Trinidad) 12, Bath Estate (Dominica) 1

(W Connection advances on 17-1 aggregate)

Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 0, CSD Barber (Antigua) 1

(Inter advances on 3-2 aggregate)

Sunday, March 29

Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) 2, Sevilla FC (Puerto Rico) 0

(Greenbay advances on 5-3 aggregate)

SV Britannia (Aruba) 0, SA Cavaly (Haiti) 1

(Cavaly advances on 6-0 aggregate)

Sunday, April 5

Tempete FC (Haiti) 2, Alpha United 0 (Guyana)

(Tempete advances on 3-1 aggregate)

Second Round

First Leg

Monday, April 13

W Connection (Trindad) 3, SA Cavaly (Haiti) 1

San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad) 2, Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) 1

Monday, April 20

Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua) vs. Tempete FC (Haiti)

Second Leg

Monday, April 20

Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname) vs. San Juan Jabloteh

SA Cavaly (Haiti) vs. W Connection (Trinidad)

Friday, May 1

Tempete FC (Haiti) vs. Greenbay Hoppers (Antigua)

Semifinal winners and the Puerto Rico Islanders will be drawn for single-game semifinals after the second round is complete. The semifinals will be played May 15 in Trinidad, which also will stage the final and third-place match two days later.

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Tags: Alpha United, Andre Toussaint, Antigua, Aruba, caribbean club, CFU, champions cup results, Christian Viveros, Claudio Pinas, club champions, concacaf champions league, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, doubleheader, Haiti, injury time, Jean Millen, man advantage, marabella trinidad, marvin oliver, moengo, Netherlands Antilles, nightcap, pinas, puerto rico islanders, Ramjohn Stadium, san juan jabloteh, second game, semifinal berth, Stefano Banetti, straight game, Suriname, Trinidad, viveros, W. Connection, yellow cards

Costa Rica, Panama win to earn rematch for Central American Nations Cup title

January 31, 2009

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Andy Furtado scored his third goal in as many games and Costa Rica beat El Salvador 1-0 on Friday to get within one victory of its fourth straight Central American Nations Cup title and seventh overall.

The game was abandoned in the 60th minute by Panamanian referee Roberto Moreno when El Salvador was reduced to six players. Moreno had red carded Alexander Escobar and Eliseo Quintanilla in the first half, and, after El Salvador had already made three substitutions, Deris Umanzor, Rodolfo Zelaya and goalkeeper Juan José Gómez were injured and had to leave the game.

Panama defeated host Honduras 1-0 in the other semifinal, and will play Los Ticos in Sunday’s title game in a rematch of the 2007 championship which Costa Rica won on penalties.

All four teams already had earned themselves berths in the CONCACAF Gold Cup along with Nicaragua, which beat Guatemala 2-0 on Thursday to claim the fifth and last place in the 12-team field.

Costa Rica beat Panama 3-0 in the Group B opener, which Furtado scoring twice. Panama will have to play Sunday’s final without goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, who was instrumental in its semifinal victory but drew a yellow card for the second straight game and will be suspended.

Furtado’s goal in the 18th minute gave him the tournament lead, taking over the scoring chores for a side missing many of its first-team regulars.

Ricardo Phillips accounted for Panama’s goal on a counterattack in the 39th minute, only the second goal for the team in three games. Honduras dominated much of the game, generating 15 corners to Panama’s two.

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