Soccer-Costa Rica win despite missed penalty
Thursday, April 2nd, 2009Costa Rica stayed on course for a third successive World Cup appearance with a 1-0 win over El Salvador on Wednesday despite a missed penalty.
Andy Furtado, scorer of two goals in a 2-0 win over Honduras in February, won the penalty in the 26th minute and took the kick himself only to see his effort saved by Miguel Montes.
Playmaker Walter Centeno, 34, finally broke through for the hosts when he headed in Carlos Hernandez’s cross in the 69th minute of his 127th international.
El Salvador, missing playmaker Eliseo Quintanilla through suspension, had their best effort just before the penalty when Julio Martinez headed against the post.
The win put Costa Rica second in the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers, which is played as a six-team mini-league.
The Ticos have six points from three games, one behind leaders the United States.
El Salvador, whose last World Cup apperance was in 1982, are fifth with two points.
The Obama administration made its initial foray into the Central American region with a visit to Costa Rica by VP, Joe Biden. Biden met with Costa Rica’s President, Oscar Arias, and other Central American leaders invited to the party, including those of Panamá, El Salvador and Guatemala. Also present were representatives from Honduras, Nicaragua and Belize. Biden vowed that the Obama administration would seek to improve relations between the U.S. and the region. While he understood the requests for U.S. aid to the region, Biden asks for “patience” as the U.S. sought a way out of its current economic crisis. For Arias’ part, he expressed appreciation for the “frankness” of Biden, who is not known for being at loss of words in any occasion. Biden was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Jill, and his granddaughter, who is 15. The visit was marked by the worst heat wave the country has suffered in some time. Nevertheless, Biden expressed admiration for the beauty of the mountains overlooking his hotel room at the Costa Rica Marriott and also his desire to be able to stay longer.
