Top 10 Costa Rica

Costa Rica already through to next round of World Cup qualifying

Costa Rica already is through to the next round of World Cup qualifying. El Salvador is looking to join it and hopes to take advantage of a home crowd to get there.

The Ticos beat Suriname 4:1 in Paramaribo on Saturday to virtually assure itself of winning Group C in the second round of CONCACAF qualifying and become the first team to claim a place in the “hexagonal” final. A win by El Salvador on Wednesday against Suriname in San Salvador would do the same for the Cuscatlecos.

The Salvadorans missed a chance to clinch their place on Saturday with a 0:0 draw at Haiti. El Salvador has made two previous appearances the World Cup finals, the last in 1982. A victory on Wednesday not only would clinch a place in the final round of qualifying, but enable it to breathe easier with its last match at home on 19 November against Costa Rica – which has won all four of its matches in the second round by a combined score of 15:2.

Striker Rudis Alberto Corrales is tied with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz in the CONCACAF scoring race with six goals, but was frustrated in the “La Azul’s” draw against Haiti — leading to his eventual substitution by coach Carlos De Los Cobos.

Corrales plays with El Salvador first-division squad CD Aguila in San Miguel and has made 35 appearances for the national team.

Costa Rica, which has won five straight qualifiers at home, can use Wednesday’s game against Haiti as a celebration, relaxing with the knowledge that it’s through to next year’s six-team final group stage.

“The important thing is that the main objective was met and we carried through with a result and have achieved our goal.” Costa Rica manager Rodrigo Kenton said. “There has been a rising curve in our performance and readiness to win big matches.”

Costa Rica can now focus on the final phase of qualifying and a third straight appearance in the World Cup. Suriname and Haiti are hanging on the thinnest of margins. Anything but a victory by either the rest of the way ends their chances.

Haiti has two points from four matches, having scored only three goals since the first round, where it only scored once in a two-leg series against the Netherlands Antilles.

Suriname’s position is even more precarious. With only one point, not only does it have to beat El Salvador and Haiti, but by such great margins as to enable it to overcome being outscored 15:3 in its matches so far.