The national soccer team began an incredible journey Sunday and was to arrive after midnight Costa Rica time to Tehran.  They were scheduled to test the pitch at 6:30 am our time. 24 hours later is game time, where temperatures were expected to be near 60 degrees at the start of the match.
Players had to do isometric exercises and stretches in their seats to combat travel fatigue. The journey was of epic proportions, and even included a bus transfer in the US.  The players left Juan Santamaria aiport in Alajuela at 2:30 pm on Sunday. The plane flew to Guatemala, then to Washington DC, and then they took a charter bus to New York City for the flight to Dubai.  From there a commuter flight to Tehran. A total of 40 hours!!

Psych War
When the Tricolor contends with Iran in Tehran it will put an exclamation point on what some Iranis are calling a psychological war.

A few days ago, a government spokesperson accused “The West” of launching a psych war against Iran’s national team.

According to an ISNA news wire, the leader Gholan-Huessein Elham affirmed that the refusal of westerners to play friendly international matches with Iran is a psychological war, and the purpose is to isolate Iran before the world.

Prior to negotiating a friendly with Costa Rica, Iran failed to find any team willing to face its all stars, because of the government’s refusal to put an end to its nuclear program, according to officials.

Countries such as Rumania, the Ukraine, promised to play but backed out of friendlies in the Azadi stadium. Spain also said no, thank you. Belarussia, Colombia, Turkey and Switzerland have all been asked to play, but have not replied.

So tomorrow’s match may be Iran’s final warm up in preparation for the World Cup.

Saprissa and Alajuela brought home good news from forays outside the country this week. Saprissa went to Los Angeles and brought back a 0-0 tie with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Alajuela went to Bermuda and tied the New England Revolution by the same score 0-0.

This puts pressure on the American teams to come to Costa Rica and win on March 8th, which the Ticos believe will be difficult. The winner of each series will advance to the next round of the Cup.

TOURNEY OF CLOSURE RESULTS

Alajuela – Heredia 1 – 0
Cartago – Santos 0 – 0
Liberia – Pérez Zeledón 2 – 1
Carmelita – Santa Cruz 1 - 0
Puntarenas – San Ramon 2 - 1
Saprissa – Brujas 2 - 0

Next Round Sunday, February 26

Saprissa – Alajuela
11 am, Ricardo Saprissa Stadium
Herediano – Santos,
11 am, Eladio Rosabal Cordero Stadium
Brujas – Puntarenas,
11 am National Stadium
Pérez Zeledón – Carmelita,
11 am  Pérez Zeledón Municipal Stadium
Liberia – Cartaginés,
11 am  Edgardo Baltodano Briceño Stadium
San Ramon – Santa Cruz,
11 am Guillermo Vargas Roldán Stadium

LEADING SCORERS
Víctor Núñez, Cartaginés 17
Álvaro Saborío, Saprissa 15
Kurt Bernard, Puntarenas 11
Josef Miso, Herediano 9

Tourney of Closure - 8th Round Results

Pérez Zeledón - Saprissa 2 - 1
Santos - Carmelita 2 - 0
San Ramon - Alajuela 1 - 0
Brujas - Cartago 1 - 1
Santa Cruz - Puntarenas 0 - 0
Heredia - Liberia 2 - 0

Standings

Next Round

Saturday, February 18

Alajuela - Heredia,  Morera Soto Stadium, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 18
Cartaginés - Santos, “Fello” Meza Stadium, 11 a.m.
Liberia - Pérez Zeledón, Edgardo Baltodano  Stadium 11 a.m.
Carmelita - Santacruceña, Carlos Alvarado Stadium 2 p.m.
Puntarenas - Ramonense, “Lito” Pérez  Stadium 3 p.m.
Saprissa - Brujas, Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, 4 p.m.

LEADING SCORERS
Víctor Núñez, Cartago 17
Álvaro Saborío, Saprissa 15
Kurt Bernard, Puntarenas 11
Esteban Bolaños, Santos 8
Josef Miso, Heredia 9
Rónald Gómez, Saprissa 8

Talk about going into the Lion’s den! The atmosphere in Iran is more charged than ever as yesterday a German newspaper published a caricature of the Iranian players warming up in suicide bomber jackets.  The situation was already hot with the US and UN threatening sanctions and rattling sabres.  Which of course meant religious leaders stirring up emotions for a holy war and nationalistic hardliners stirring up emotions for the people to do their patriotic duty. Now all of those motions will be added to the fan’s support of their soccer team which was ridiculed in the cartoon.  And everything in that cauldron should be nice and bubbly when the Costa Rican national team visits Tehran on March 1st. 

Al Dia interviewed players and officials about the situation.

"We have gone to other countries in similar situations and we have never had any problem", pointed out José Joaquín Aguilar, of the Selections Commitee.  He did not want to admit that the Federation was in it for the money, only saying that , " The friendly has favorable economic and athletic conditions".  He said that currently there was no reason to suspend the trip, although they were monitoring the situation.

Aguilar, speaking on behalf of the Costa Rican Football Federation said that they follow FIFA’s principle of leaving aside cultural and political differences on the pitch  " Football is a way to look for peace.", he said.

Maybe Hermes Navarro, Costa Rica’s national team boss, is a lot smarter than we give him credit for.  Despite a home crowd advantage in Oakland, an organized preparation schedule (this was their ninth friendly), and a higher finish in the last world cup, the South Korean team fell to a Costa Rica "B"  squad on Saturday at the "Black Hole" in Oakland, California.

The Koreans dominated play, but were unable to convert this dominance into actual goals. Some shots were just of the mark and the Costa Rican goal keepers Jose Francisco Porras and Wardy Alfaro made a few excellent saves too.  Porras made a diving deflection off a shot from South Korea midfielder Lee Chun-soo less than a minute after Saborio’s penalty kick, while Alfaro knocked away two shots late in the second half.

In the 40th minute of the first half, Victor "El Mambo" Nuñez beat 2 defenders and was tripped in desperation by Kim Sang-sik.  Alvaro Saborio - "Sabo" - took the penalty shot.  His high hard strike to the upper left corner of the goal, where the Korean goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae had no chance to make any play on the shot.

South Korea will head to Los Angeles to take on Mexico on next Thursday, while Costa Rica will take things easy until their second, and at this point final, warm up scheduled for March 1st in Tehran, Iran.  Yes, this is the same Iran that being pressured by the international community to stop manufacturing weapons grade uranium.

Local analysts where happy with the victory, while criticizing the team as conservative and lacking options to create goal scoring opportunities. 

Saprissa 3 - Cartago 2
Perez Zeledon 1 - Alajuela 1
Liberia 5 - Brujas 3
Santa Cruz 0 - Santos 2
Heredia 2 - Puntarenas 2
Carmelita vs. San Ramon Monday

Positions:
Grupo A
Saprissa 6 games  16 points
Puntarenas 6 games  13 points
Liberia 6 games  12 points
Herediano 6 games  10 points
Ramonense 5 games  4 points
Santa Cruz 6 games  3 points

Grupo B
Santos 6 games  10 points
Pérez Zeledón 6 games  9 points
Carmelita 5 games 7 points
Alajuela 6 games  7 points
Cartago 6 games  6 points
Brujas 6 games  3 points

Although he doesn’t intend to "switch horses in midstream", Alexandre Guimaraes has opened the door for some players who are doing well in the local championship to prove themselves in the upcoming friendly match on February 11th.  Players like Kurt Bernard, Víctor "el Mambo" Núñez and Michael Rodríguez will have to make the most of their opportunity. He also did not call most international players from their clubs.

Results Wednesday
Saprissa 2 - Puntarenas 1
Liberia 2 - Alajuela 1
Cartago 2 - San Ramon 1
Perez Zeledon 0 - Santos 0
Carmelita 2 - Brujas 0

Heredia vs. Santa Cruz, Thursday

Results Wednesday
Saprissa 2 - Puntarenas 1
Liberia 2 - Alajuela 1
Cartago 2 - San Ramon 1
Perez Zeledon 0 - Santos 0
Carmelita 2 - Brujas 0

Heredia vs. Santa Cruz, Thrusday