by Rod Hughes

It may be early, since what is called by the First Division the “opening tournament” (the season is divided into two sections) but so far a few surprises have emerged. For example, Brujas from Escazu are front runners in Group A by three points over Saprissa, although Saprissa has played one match fewer. But the big Purple S has been so inconsistent of late that the gap of three points may widen. They may be defending champs, but for Saprissa it could be in one year and out the other.

Saprissa is followed by (of all people) Puntarenas, then Liberia, San Ramon and Carmelita. Meanwhile, in Group B, Alajuela leading is no surprise but guess who is second? University of Costa Rica, that’s who! That club struggled to keep its head above water all last season. They are followed by Perez Zeledon, San Carlos, Cartago and Heredia, the latter no longer a power to be reckoned with.

Yesterday’s matches produced a few gee-whizzers as well. For example, Cartago shackled Saprissa’s usually aggressive attack for a 1-1 tie and could have won it if referee Mario Arturo Barrantes had not developed a case of blindness in the case of Jervis Drummon’s obvious penalty against the hard-driving Oscar Granados of Cartago close in to the goal. Maybe Barrantes swallowed the pea in his whistle. Even Granados’ mother, watching from the stands, said it was a clear penalty, reported an Al Dia sportswriter. Cartago went ahead early on Leonard Madrigal’s goal and it took Alejandro Alpizar to save Saprissa from an embarrassing tie.

Meanwhile, Alajuela was having little trouble with San Ramon on the former’s home pitch, beating the visitors 2-0. Windel Gabriel and Argenis Fernandez scored in the second half but only the athletic blocking of San Ramon’s goalie, Neighel Drummond saved his side from a serious drubbing.

UCR tied with Puntarneas 0-0 in a constant gray drizzle that fitted the quality of the match. Perez Zeledon and San Carlos also went scoreless. Much more interesting match was played out in Liberia pitting that city’s club against a struggling Heredia and winding up a clear 2-1 victory for the home side. It could have been worse for Heredia with Liberia developing 12 or 15 clear opportunities. But two goal shots by Allan Aleman got through. But this happened after Solis had given the home boys a scare, making a goal on a penalty in the closing minute of the first half.

The Costa Rican national soccer team, the “Sele,” took an important 1-0 victory at the expense of their Salvadoran rivals Wednesday night. The decider was Alvaro Saborío’s penalty kick at the beginning of the second half. Ironically, Saborío was later expelled himself on a particularly unnecessary infraction, but he had done the damage, so was forgiven.

The Ticos’ victory, however, was, in the words of a La Nación sportswriter, “without brilliance.” Although they did not play badly, the Costa Ricans showed they need to knit together more as a mechanism. But, one should add, local sportswriters tend not to be satisfied unless the national team wins every match 5-0. Preferably 10-0, even against Brazil or Italy. (This reporter, I fear, falls into that class. So sue me.)

FIFA, the international soccer governing body, classed the match as “high risk” of violent disorder and security was tight. The source of FIFA´s concern was Salvador’s street gangs called the “maras” whose murderous ways have spread to other nations. But, despite El Salvador’s loss, all remained calm in Ricardo Saprissa Stadium.

by Rod Hughes

The University of Costa Rica (UCR) continues to gather surprising steam, dumping San Ramon 3-2 Sunday. Last season and with the opening of this one, it appeared that the club might be one of those fragile flowers that comes up from the Second Division, stays for a couple of so-so years, then quietly withers away. This win follows up last week’s triumph 3-1 over Heredia.

Even better for UCR fans was that it was an away match, in San Ramon’s own Guillermo Vargas Roldan Stadium. Heiner Mora gave an early taste of what was to come with a header from Vicente Rocella’s pass at minute 32, past Ramonense goalie, Mexican Gabriel Lopez, who has had better days. But, thought Lopez, things could be worse and, sure enough, at minute 43 they got worse when Brazillian Ronnio Martins got another past Lopez on an assist by Luis Miguel Gallardo. San Ramon sent in three substitutes and early in the second half it seemed to work with Raymer Solano scoring on a free kick than again on an assist from substitute Warren Granados.

But all for naught, the 2-2 tie when UCR’s Steven Calderon scored the goal for gold on Marvin Chinchilla’s assist.

Puntarenas 2, Cartago 1

Mario Camacho carried Puntarenas on his back to a 2-1 victory over Cartago at Puntarneas yesterday. Camacho made goals at minute 20 in the first half and again at 54 minutes in the second. Cartago did not get on the board until Edgar Figeira hit the net with a shot in the last minute of regular play. Puntarenas defender Dario Delgado’s error allowed that one–otherwise, Puntarenas was the stronger side throughout.

Carmelita vs. Alajuela Rained Out

Santa Barbara de Heredia– Tortential rains yesterday turned the pitch at Carlos Alvarado Stadium into a lake yesterday, forcing the clubs to play today, weather permitting. The rain hit the Central Valley unusually early yesterday and did its dirty work between 1 p.m. and 2:30 when it became obvious that the condition of the grass had passed from the difficult to the ridiculous…

by Rod Hughes

The Saprissa soccer club is, to quote the immortal words of Forrest Gump’s mom, “like a box o’ choc’lits–you never know what you’re going to get.” Last weekend, they lost to an exuberant Perez Zeledon, Yesterday, they swamped a bewildered San Ramon 5-0. Go figure.

We’d like to be charitable and say that San Ramon was not as bad as the score indicated. But the club from the fervent sports-crazy town northwest of San Jose was worse, if anything. They wandered around the pitch at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in Tibas as if they had just memorized the rules and were trying to sort them out while Saprissa excelled in defense, midfield and offense and repeatedly stole the ball from them like a bully in a schoolyard.

The statistics don’t begin to tell the tale of Saprissa’s near misses at San Ramon’s goal, but here they are: After only five minutes of dicing, Alejandro Alpizar took a pass from Ariel Santana for the opener. Only 10 minutes later, Celso Borges headed in a pass from Alonso Solis. Saprissa was back at it in the second half like industrious ants running rings around their opponents with Santana scoring on a pass from idfielder Walter Centeno at 65, Alpizar getting another from Solis and then Solis getting a goal with his own fine approach. Los Ramonenses must have wondered if the home side had about 16 or 17 men on the pitch.

Alajuela 3, Liberia Mia 3

Usually when a high-scoring match is this high, it means both sides have a brilliant offense. But Sunday’s match was a comedy of errors at both goals. Jolly good entertainment and all that but, really, one DOES expect a bit better from La Liga (Alajuela) and a club from Guanacaste province whose owner’s open checkbook has filled the bench with big names in local soccer.

Jacques Remy opened the give and take for Liberia after only five minutes on a pass from William Sunsing. Cristian Montero came right back to tie it for La Liga on a pass from Eliseo Quintanilla. Early in the second half Victor Nunez scored on Jacques Remy’s pass for Liberia and Windell Gabriel tied it on Quintanilla’s pass. The Jeancarlo Solorzano fed back Alajeula goalie Wardy Alfaro’s rejection of a shot right back into the goalmouth. It was then 76 minutes and it looked as if Liberia would have it 3-2 but Nunez tied it on a shrewd pass by Alan Aleman.

Puntarenas 3, Carmelita 1

According to Puntarenas head coach Javier Delgado before the match, he had given his club two choices– to win or to win. They must have taken it to heart because, before an enthusiastic home crowd, Puntarenas mopped up the pitch with the hapless visitors. Immanuel Campos scored for the port city at minute 31. Mario Camacho added to Puntarenas’s advantage in the second half and only then did Carmelita come alive briefly to narrow the gap on Esteban Camacho’s goal. But Hanswell Ewers iced it for the port city at minute 84.

San Carlos 2, Cartago 1
Ya gotta give ‘em credit: Cartago fans are either the most loyal in the world or complete masochists. Yesterday’s match at that city’s Fello Meza Stadium was packed with Cartagenes T-shirts and cheering, sweating fans. And the fact that the Northern Bulls (Toros del norte) won the match is a minor setback. A trifle.

Marvin Calvo drew blood for San Carlos in the middle of the first half on a pass from Carlos Acosta. At minute 40, Alban Gomez tied it on a pass by Leonardo Madrigal. So far, so good thought Cartago fans as the half ended tied. But at minute 80 Eder Monguio poked their pretty party balloon with a header from Victor Abelenda’s corner kick. Well, at least it had been a sunny day in foggy Cartago…

Brujas 2, Perez Zeledon 1
A resurgent Brujas club from Escazu snapped Perez Zeledon’s undefeated streak Sunday, ending P-Z’s euphoria after their previous win over Saprissa. Paolo Jimenez put Brujas up front after 11 minutes on a pass from Ricardo Harris and Daniel Jimenez put them two up at minute 48 on a pass from Jorge Barbosa. Later in the second half came PZ’s only goal by Tirso Guio on a penalty kick.

University of Coista Rica 3, Heredia 1
No, that headline is not a misprint. Surprise! In fact, UCR played like a different club yesterday, making one scan the roster to see if they had slipped in a few ringers. A great deal of the credit goes to the steady lead of captain Alonso Hilaron for keeping things moving on UCR’s offense.

Ronnio Martins’ header on the pass by Heiner Mora halfway through the first stanza opened the fiesta for UCR but Maurio Solis tied it for Heredia on a penalty kick in the second. Then Luis Gallardo took the block from the defense and fed the goal, followed by a self-inflicted goal by Heredia’s Cesar Mena at minute 97 but the damage had been done by then.

by Rod Hughes

The Biejing Olympics opened yesterday and the daily newspaper La Nacion was there to cover not only the ceremony but Sylvia Poll celebrating the 20th anniversary of her winning Costa Rica’s first Olympic medial.

The eldest of the swimming Poll sisters (Claudia later made her own international mark) brought home a silver medal from the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Only 17 years old at the time and absorbed in the tensions of competition and the new sights and sounds of a different country, she says she was not really aware of the magnitude of her feat until two Costa Rican journalists accosted her after she stepped off the podium.

Sylvia closed out her successful career after a creditable fifth place at the Barcelona Olympics of 1992. She returned to the Olympic scene in Atlanta in 1996 but as a journalist for Radio Monumental.

Her coach and trainer, Francisco Rivas of Guanacaste province, saved the congratulatory messages that poured in after her finish in 1988 and she still cherishes them, she says. For Rivas, it was a victory as well. Previous to Sylvia, he had coached Costa Rican swimmer Maria del Milagro Paris (today a prominent doctor) in international events. Then, after Sylvia, came Claudia and her international victories. If it’s female, dedicated and wet, Rivas seems to be able to turn it into competitive medals…

by Rod Hughes

Displaying an aggressive attack and nearly hermetic defense, Alajuela picked up its second win in the first two matches of the season, sinking San Carlos 1-0 Wednesday. The outstanding blast by Eliseo Quantanilla came like a bomb late in the second half but after a hail of attempts by his teammates to open scoring.

On the other hand, it was only after 33 minutes of play that Alajuela goalie Wardy Alfaro even touched the ball. San Carlos was overwhelmed in the first half and when Alajuela lost steam in the second, merely outclassed.

Except for some shrewd plays by Luis Jairo Arroyo, Alajuela’s goalie Alfaro could well have set up a cot beside the goal and had a nice long siesta.

by Rod Hughes

FIFA, the international soccer governing body, had trouble last month with clubs, especially European ones, who refused to release foreign players so they could play with their home national teams in the eliminations for the World Cup 2010. Fortunately for Costa Rican All Star coach Rodrigo Kenton, no one challenges FIFA, the virtual dictator of professional soccer. The all-powerful FIFA simply leaned on the club owners and the rebellion collapsed.

Kenton is preparing for the crucial matches against El Salvador and has begun putting his own trademark stamp on the lineup after having taken over when Hernan Medford was booted for the dismal performance of the “Sele” as the national team is known. Of his two most recent picks, he petitioned China’s Shanghai Shenua club for Erick Scott (ex-Alajuela) and FC Augsburg of Germany’s second division for the loan of Froylan “Cachorro” Ledezma. He is also raiding Herredia for Bismark Acosta.

The match with El Salvador is being taken seriously by the Sele’s coaching staff. Although Costa Rica is favored to win in a relatively weak sub-group, Salvador is the strongest. Kenton is calling in the big guns from around the world. Although Scott is a logical choice, Ledezma is more of a puzzler. In Germany during the last season, he played in only six of his club’s 30 dates and his performance was hardly sterling. Cachorro also in the past has had trouble off the pitch and it is hoped he has put on a little maturity with his European years.

Of the original Medford era, 13 remain on the roster. Nine are from the Saprissa club because of that club’s dominance last season and because they were already there because Medford was former coach of the club before his 18 months at the helm of the national team. Kenton has dropped seven from the list of 24, most notable being the capable Victor Cordero. Another not appearing in the Salvador match will be Victor “El Mambo” Nunez, if only because he has an accumulation of yellow cards.

Ledezma has not played with the national team since February 2005 when he was called by then-coach Jorge Luis Pinto for the Americas Cup against Peru. He was with Alajuela then and resigned twice from the All Star team, the second of which earned him a three-month suspension where he was forbidden to set foot on the same turf as his compatriots. The striker Scott has not played for his country for two years but has never shown Cachorro’s troubled (and troublesome) personality. Kenton evidently figures he can handle Ledezma.

Other top players Medford previously called from abroad are Alvaro Saborio, who has been making a name for himself with FC Sion, a Swiss club that plays in the French league, as well as Gonzalo Segares (Chicago Fire), Junior Diaz (Wisla Krakow, Poland) and Brian Ruiz (KAA Ghent, Belgium). Special advantages in choosing nationals playing avroad are not only that they have been selected by other countries as the local best, but also that they have experience appearing in alien stadiums and under coaches with different styles of the game.

by Rod Hughes

Coach Paulo Wanchope got a lesson in aggressive attack as his Heredia side received the brunt of Alajuela’s attention in a 3-1 loss Sunday. And the lesson was not long coming, only 12 minutes into the match, when Alajuela’s Pablo Nassar headed in a free kick pass from Eliseo Quintanilla.

Twenty minutes later, Nassar repeated the feat, again on a pass from Quintanilla. Early in the second half Kenneth Vargas put Heredia back in the match on a pass from Leonardo Gonzalez. But the effort was wasted as Cristian Oviedo, on his own merits, blasted one past Heredia goalie Ricardo Gonzalez at minute 68. (To add to the confusion, after Geancarlos Gonzarez entered the match at minute 77, there were three by that last name on the pitch at one time.)

San Carlos 1, University of Costa Rica 0

Playing on their home pitch in Ciudad Quesada, San Carlos continued to open strongly, downing UCR and sending the home fans into a furvor of euphoria. UCR was hardly the strongest club last season and is still putting it all together after the departure of no fewer than seven of its starting crew between seasons.

But it is still true that the Toros del Norte, (the Northern Bulls) as they are nicknamed, played with flashes of fine style. (The Bull reference is not disparagement of what the coach or players say in post-match interviews but refers to the fact that San Carlos is cattle country.) The win is credit to Berni Solorzano whose goal came on a penalty kick after a foul made against him.

San Ramon 3, Puntarenas 2

It would appear that the Pacific port city’s 11 still hasn’t started the season, even though they have played two matches. San Ramon completely outclassed them with speed along the sidelines and the match was more lopsided than the score would make it appear. Even at that, it was Puntarenas that opened scoring on Dario Delgado’s goal from a pass by Ricardo Garcia.

But Jorge Davis tied it on a pass by Alejandro Sequiera at minute 24. Only six minutes later, Sequiera, aided by Warren Granados, put the Ramonenses ahead. At minute 42, John Quinonez stretched the San Ramon lead 3-1. Near the end, Emmanuel Campos closed the gap somewhat on a pass from Rafael Nunez.

Carmelita 0, Cartago 0

In a match characterized by long periods of tedium punctuated by frenetic if disorganized action in front of the goals, both clubs managed to avoid scoring. This is the second tie for both clubs. Someone had better mention to them that the alarm clock has already rung for the season’s start…

Perez Zeledon 1, Saprissa 0

Perez Zeledon stunned a high-flying Saprissa Sunday at Municipal Stadium in San Isidro de El General, not only holding the Big Purple Monster scoreless but depriving them of a clear lead in the standings. That, friends, is what makes soccer the international sport of preference and gives odds-makers peptic ulcers.

The sole goal came when Diego Pais, assisted by Tirso Guio, got one past Saprissa goalie Kaylor Navas at minute 29. Although the big purple S showed itself to be king of the midfield, they found it rough going near the PZ goal and repeated attcks failed utterly to get through.

Liberia 2, Brujas 2

Sorry, we could not get details on this match.

by Rod Hughes

Heredia, opting to hold its opener on Monday, a holiday, showed itself to be a solid, measured machine, easily outplaying Brujas, 2-0, in its first match under the command of Paulo Cesar Wanchope. “Chope,” as he is affectionately known, did some magic with the lineup, experimentation being not unusual for the early season. A fine start for Wanchope.

In the closing ticks of the clock in the first half, Kenneth Vargas took a pase from Margin Angulo and struck goal. Then Angulo, having a fine day, made the second goal on a free kick that came on a foul against Kenneth Cunningham late in the second half. As the La Nacion sportswriters made clear, the organization of Heredia’s fieldwork both on offense and defense made Brujas, on paper a potential protagonist for the national soccer crown this season, look like amateurs.

In other soccer news, the nation’s under-17 girls soccer team that made it for the first time into the World Cup for teenagers in New Zealand Oct. 29 to Nov. 16 has had the bad luck to draw the toughest group in the early eliminations. Its group B is comprised of Germany, North Korea and Ghana, a killer list of adversaries. Its opening in Christchurch will be against the current champion in this category, Germany, Oct. 28.

by Rod Hughes

Saprissa, the national soccer champion club for 2007-8, is playing as if the vacation between seasons was just an intermission, dumping Puntarenas soundly Sunday 3-0. It is an early lead in the First Divsion standings but three points is more than the other clubs in A group have.

Puntarenas did not play badly but needed to put more pressure upon a club like Saprissa. Ever Alfaro opened scoring at minute 28 and, early in the second half, Alonso Solis added to it and late in the match Armando Alonso put the capper on it. If you wanna beat the big purple “S” you have to push, push, push and never let up. And while you’re at it, watch Solis and Alonso who proved to be the best one-two punch in the division.

University of Costa Rica 2, Carmelita 2

As La Nacion sportwriter Sofia Quesada noted, the Manuel Sanabria Stadium was the site of the season’s first self-inflicted goal, the first goal and the first penalty goal Sunday. This was due to Kervin Lacey’s successful penalty goal kick at minute 9 of the match. Six minutes later, UCR defender Daniel Arce literally put his foot in it while trying to deflect another shot by Lacey for a 2-0. Alonso Hilarion made good a penalty kick to narrow the gap. In the second half, Hilarion directed a free kick at Daniel Alvarado who headed it into the net.

Cartago 0, San Ramon 0

If the tie between UCR and Carmelita was merited because both sides put their all into the match, then a scoreless tie was merited in the joyless match between Cartago and San Ramon. The match was marked by loud yawns and whistles of impatience, according to Al Dia’s sports headline writer. Cartago is called the foggy city but the fog should not be among the fans in Fello Meza Stadium.

Perez Zeledon 1, Liberia zilch

A far more interesting match was played San Isidro de El General’s Municipal Stadium where the results of Liberia owner Mario Sotela’s open checkbook policy of acquiring name players was put to the test Sunday. Liberia Mia, to give the club its full name, has managed to snag such players as Harold Wallace, Alvaro Mesen, Armando Aleman and William Sunsing. And, holy Steinbrenner, Batman! Liberia lost.

The so-called “Warriors of the South” still remember 2004 when they came in second place in the championship race with Carlos Restrepo at the helm, and the coach proved resoundingly that he was back and had again set up shop. Proof came at minute 38 when PZ’s Tirso Guio shot a good free kick to Luis Stewart Perez who headed it into the net. Strangely enough, it was not a veteran but rookie Allen Guevara, 19, who looked best for Liberia.