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…