by Rod Hughes

Costa Rica’s national soccer team stands a good chance of winding up at the head of its group in the Concacaf regional tournament leading to an eventual birth in the 2010 World Cup. All the Ticos need is a win over Haiti in tonight’s match to send a clear signal to its rivals in the hexagonal tourney that is the next step.

Actually, the national All Stars already have their ticket into the final round, but coming into it in the number one position is a clear psychological advantage. But it won’t be easy, because the national players have had little rest since last Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Surinam. Worse, their return from Surinam was delayed, meaning little practice time to sharpen the edges.

Since their World Cup successes in 1990 in Italy, where the All Stars made it to the second round after holding mighty Brazil to one goal, the national team has missed only 1994 in getting a Concacaf birth. They did have the destinction of beating Mexico that year, always a sweet victory since Mexican sportswriters and fans are so insufferable. (In 1990, Mexico was disqualified by FIFA and the Aztec sportwriters, dripping with sour grape juice, grumbled that a second-class side like Costa Rica would not have made it if it were not for the disqualification.)

(Of course, sportwriters are not required to be objective as are other journalists. Have you readers noted a certain favoritism on this blog in favor of Costa Rica? If you haven’t, you aren’t reading with enough attention. We would be totally satisfied if the national side won all its matches by a 10-0 score, includuing against Brazil and the Europeans.)

In 1998, Costa Rica went to the World Cup (France) in second spot of Concacaf teams, trailing leader United States by a single point. In 2002 (Korea), Costa Rica and Guatemala tied for second spot (behind the U.S.) and had a playoff match in Miami which the Ticos won 5-2. In 2006 (Germany) the national team had its poorest showing since 1994, dropping it first two matches and finally tying up first place over Guatemala in the final match.

Unfortunately, they didn’t win a single match in Germany, beginning a disastrous string of ties and defeats, only turned around by replacing Hernan Medford as head coach by Rodrigo Kenton just before the opening shots for 2010 World Cup festivities. Since the Medford era ended, Kenton has mixed young players with veterans and feels he is getting the correct balance.

Note: This writer would like to gratefully acknowledge La Nacion sportswiters for the information on the years after 1990.

By Rod Hughes

It was hot, hot, hot and the turf was bumpy, bumpy, bumpy at Andres Kamperveen Stadium in Panamaribo on the Dutch Caribbean island of Surinam Saturday. But neither condition seemed to bother the Costa Rican national soccer team (the beloved “Sele” as in the Spanish word for all stars, “Seleccion“).

The few standup moments for the fans were all Tico-generated and so were bitter for Surinam. Walter Centeno opened scoring after 10 minutes of play. Centeno varies between brilliant and merely competent and he was the latter in this match. (His Saprissa club could have used him in their tie with D.C. United earlier in Concacaf’s champion’s league play.)

Celso Borges (who had Friday described the ball rolling on the Surinam turf as “bouncing like a rabbit”) mastered the uncertain turf late in the first half to make it 2-0 for the Sele. It widened a few eyes in the small crowd because Borges leaped high as if he had rockets strapped to his legs to take Centeno’s pass and head it into the goalmouth.

Early in the second stanza, Guner Sandvliet (aren’t you happy not to be doing the live telecast with names like that?) of Surinam got the ball past the Tico’s new goalie Keylor Navas to close the gap a bit. But two minutes before, Armando Alonso had blasted in a marker so that merely made it 3-1. And then Alonzo Solis provided the second spectacular moment, taking J.L. “Pupy” Lopez’s pass and leaving three Surinam defenders and the goalie in the dust for the final goal.

Other Soccer News: Brujas and Alajuela Still on Top

Standings in Costa Rica’s First Division Soccer league: Brujas of Escazu has a surprisingly commanding lead of four points over Saprissa, Puntarenas and Liberia in Group A, followed by San Ramon and Carmelita, the latter with only 4 points compared with Brujas’s 18.

Group B has Alajuela and Perez Zeledon tied for the lead at 18 points with San Carlos breathing down their necks with 17. Back four points is Heredia, with University of Costa Rica and Puntarenas trailing.

by Rod Hughes >

Saprissa, which might have be expected to be revivalized after its Concacaf victory over Marathon, could not get past Carmelita and ended with a scoreless tie. San Ramon and San Carlos each earned a point with a 2-2 tie. Puntarenas upset Heredia 2-1 and proved that Heredia is having deep troubles this season.

by Rod Hughes

Not even playing the match on its own home (artificial) turf at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium yesterday could save the big purple “S” from a tie with DC United. It was all but a defeat, because in the regional tourney of soccer clubs, the Tico club is carrying the goal deficit from their previous 4-0 drubbing at the hands (or rather the feet, in soccer) of Mexico’s Cruz Azul club.

The U.S. club has been the doormat of this tourney and soccer buffs had predicted that playing them was a golden chance for Saprissa’s advance toward the finals. Alas, nothing is sure in love and soccer and the Tibas club has been so wildly inconsistent lately that they should have known things could go awry. Even though Saprissa had already beaten United before in the tourney…

Scoring went like this yesterday: DC United’s Francis Doe, assisted by Quava Kirk surprised the Saprissa defnese after barely five minutes of play. The home side evened it up but only in the second half when Cesar Elizondo scored, assisted by Alejandro Alpizar. Elizondo repeated again, this time on a pass by Alpizar. Things looked rosy with 2-1.

But at minute 92, United awoke and scored on Rod Dyachenko’s goal assisted by Ryan Miller. Saprissa fans left the stadium shaking their heads. The only consolation is knowing that five of their best players were in Surinam with the national All Stars for that match in the long run up to World Cup 2010. Saprissa will still advance in the tourney but they are making very hard work of it…

by Rod Hughes

The Supreme Court has ordered that construction of the new National Stadium be halted, pending study by its Constitutional Chamber of an appeal filed by a number of dignitaries spearheaded by former Minister of Culture Guido Saenz. The appeal says that construction of the stadium is out of step with the open air nature of Sabana Park where it is located and that soccer matches and concerts there create a nightmarish traffic glut.

The $73 nillion structure is financed by the Chinese government and was scheduled to be finished by 2010. Saenz said he does not oppose a new stadium– as long as it is not located in the park. This is fortunate, because the old structure of the stadium has already been torn down. Still, delay would entail finding another site, not an easy task in the metropolitan area.

Saenz has a proprietal interest Sabana Park, which he helped develop to its current level. He was soley responsibile for creation of the Culture Plaza beside the National Theater that prevented other buildings from being built next to the national achitectural icon, possibly overshadowing it. But the former culture minister himself is something of an icon, a Renaissance man who is musician, writer, art expert and much more. When “Mr. Culture” speaks, intellectuals listen.

by Rod Hughes

Saprissa seems to have found its groove again in the Concacaf version of the Champion’s League. Tuesday the big purple “S” overcame a one-goal deficit to win over Marathon of Honduras 2-1 and draw up to a tie with that club for the lead to of Group A in the regional soccer tournament. (Marathon has, however, more goals in its favor.)

The scoring began early in the second half with Marathon’s “Tyson” Nuñez making a penalty goal. But Saprissa equalled its first half aggressive performance with the exception that, finally, two of the shots went into the goal mouth. The first came from Celso Borges 18 minutes after the penalty and the winning score came after Alejandro Alpizar hit at minute 84.

But the Saprissa attack was somewhat lacking in gunnery expertise, shall we say. Although the hero, Alpizar earlier in the half had sent the ball into the stands when the goal stood before him naked as a newborn babe. But 11 minutes later, Alpizar was presented with a perfect pass from Alonso Solís and sent the ball where it should go. so all was forgiven.

Marathon and Saprissa have each won two and lost one in Group A, while Cruz Azul has won one (the 4-0 rout of Saprissa last week) and lost one. The big disappointment of the tourney is winless D.C. United of the Major League Soccer wars in the United States. They play Cruz Azul next and it will be a test to find out if (a) Cruz Azul’s mashing of Saprissa was a fluke or if (b) the District of Columbia side is really that weak this year.

By the way, there are three more groups in the tourney, so the ultimate champ has a long way to go before the cheering starts.

by Rod Hughes

San Carlos advanced to the leadership of Group B with a 4-1 trampling of a very bewildered Carmelita side in First Division soccer play yesterday. The “Northern Bulls” as the club is nicknamed dominated their home pitch at Ciudad Quesada and the win enabled them to knock Alajuela from its first place perch.

The win gave the Bulls three points to gain a total 16 over the season. Alajuela has 15, showing how tight the race is to gain a place on the closing series between Group A and B. For Carmelita, the defeat was all the more bitter for dropping them firmly into the First Division cellar. They have earned but 4 points in their 10 matches.

Alvaro Sanchez, assusted by Berny Solorzano, opened scoring for the home side after a scant eight minutes of play and it was only at 35 minutes that Solorzano added to it on a pass from Sanchez, showing superb understanding between the two. Then Solozano did it again, this time served by Victor Abelenda.

San Carlos may have got a bit complacent, because Carlos Picado committed a foul at minute 70, allowing veteran David Diach to sink the penalty shot, only two minutes after Diach had replaced Alejandro Cordero. But San Carlos was not satisfied with 3-1. Johnny Woodly, who had come in for Sanchez, took a pass from Marcos Mena to put the cherry atop the cake.

by Rod Hughes

If the dikes of New Orleans had been as strong as the San Ramon defense Sunday, that city would never have flooded during Hurricane Katrina. But, according to La Nacion sportswriter Gustavo Jimenez, the side from the “city of the poets” as San Ramon is known simply built a “wall of iron” in front of the goal, hunkered down and waited for lightning to strike.

It did, in the form of a foul against San Ramon’s Bryan Solorzano that resulted in Rodrigo Cordero’s penalty kick at minute 47 for the only marker of the match. Even that early, Heredia was obviously frustrated by the tight defense, sending a barrage of shots on the goal without great marksmanship but brimming with eagerness. It was a rare case of the best offense being defense, and the penalty kick was one of San Ramon’s only two real opportunities.

Perez Zeledon 2, Cartago 1, in hotly contested match

One must feel sorry for the player who makes an error that loses an excitingly close match after his side has played with great heart and not a little success. But Perez Zeledon is always tough on its own turf in San Isidro de El General. But mistakes happen so when Cartago forward Roberto Mudarra fouled Tirso Guio in the box, the scene was set for Freddy Fernanez’s successful penalty kick and a sad loss for Cartago and Mudarra.

It had been Mudarra, after all, who had set up Martin Arriola with a pass at minute 64 when Arriola had tied the match with his goal. Earlier in the second half, PZ had taken the lead with Diego Monge’s goal on a pass from Luis Lara. What made the loss so hard for Cartago is that they had played magnificently after having had two men sent off for an accumulation of yellow cards, playing with 10 from minute 28 and nine from late in the second half. Ill starred indeed.

Brujas 1, University of Costa Rica 1

Like a tired old dragon, Brujas of Escazu hit the turf of their borrowed stadium in Desamparados, breathing fire during the first half only to fizzle like a wet match. Within 14 minutes of play, they had scored on Pablo Brenes’ goal, assisted by Josimar Arias and the scene set for the rout that never happened.

But UCR’s Jason Scott blasted in a header on Eduardo Valverde’s pass at minute 36 and Brujas seemed to wither. Brujas has been playing strongly and winning well this season, so it may be that they simply under-estimated their rival. UCR has tended to be the doormat of stronger clubs both this season and last but they were not about to sit down and whimper at their fate Sunday.

Saprissa 2, Alajuela 1 in “classic” Saturday

Saprissa, even while struggling in an international tournament, seems to always find time to beat its archrival Alajuela in recent years. It did not hurt morale any to be playing at home in Tibas, of course. But Alajuela is strong and had every hope of winning, taking into account Saprissa’s 4-0 loss to a Mexican club in Concacaf tourney play last Tuesday.

We would say that the big purple “S” didn’t let any grass grow under their feet except that their Ricardo Saprissa Stadium has artificial turf. Suffice it to say that they went ahead at minute 11 on Celso Borges’ goal on a pass from Alehandro Alpizar, then added to it at minute 30 on Alpizar’s goal, assisted by Andres Nunez. It was not until deep into the second half that Alajuela its showed stuff with a goal by Jean Carlos Gonzalez. After that, nothing.

Last weekend appeared to be one for defensive play. In the second half, Saprissa drew up the drawbridge while Alajuela attacked and the home side only counterattacked to surprise their rival. The only problem with that was that they wasted those counterattacks mostly and made tough going on what should have been an easy victory.

Liberia 3, Puntarenas 1 in play Saturday

Liberia Mia (to give them their full name) made victory look easy Saturday in the Guanacaste city’s home pitch. After a scoreless first half, Victor Nunez got the festivities going in the second on a pass from Allen Guevara, followed by Jose Carlos Cancela’s penalty kick, putting Liberia ahead 2-0. Again, Nunez fed the goal a pass from Guevara. With about eight minutes to go, the port city’s Roberto Wong blasted in a long kick to save face for Puntarenas.

Quintanilla: When All Else Fails, Blame the Press Dept.

Salvadoran Eliseo “Chayo” Quintanilla now blames the Costa Rican press for his abrupt departure from the Alajuela club that had imported him. He was fired for a lack of discipline off the pitch earlier this month. If you will excuse the observation, he sounded a little like Richard Nixon after Watergate.

The 26-year-old Salvadoran said his expulsion from a match with Puntarenas Aug. 30 was the straw that tipped the scales but that the press had been after him for some time. It did not help, said Quintanilla, that Alajuela’s Argentinian coach, Marcelo Hugo Herrera, was negative about Quintanilla’s frequent absences to practice with his national All Star team. Just when it appeared that Cheyo was running out of fingers to point to his tormenters, he also griped that the referee was unfair in throwing him out of the Puntarneas match. Boo hoo, etc.

by Rod Hughes

“It was,” Saprissa head coach Jeaustin Campos ruefully told a Radio Colombia sportscaster in an after-match interview, “a night to forget.” The big purple “S” was fresh from a respectable victory over D.C. United but they played like, in the words of an Al Dia sportswriter, a caricature of themselves, a cartoon club bearing no resemblance to the country’s First Division champions.

Remember when we wrote that Saprissa was “hardly the soul of consistency?” We didn’t realize we were merely sending them a comic valentine. It was the worst defeat in international play for the Costa Rican club in recent memory. Not even the acrobatics of Saprissa goalie Keylor Navas could stem the Mexican club’s torrent of shots on the goal, although he tried valiantly. Despite it all, Saprissa is still tied with Cruz Azul and Marathon for the leadership pf Group A in the regional Concacaf version of the “Champions’ League.”

That always-dependable midfielder Walter Centeno found he had no one to pass to and Cruz Azul’s goal area appeared enclosed by a glass dome. But the handwriting on the wall was writ in capital letters, boldface, when Cruz Azul’s Miguel Sabah scored at minute 24. Then Gerardo Torrado added to it at minute 54, Pablo Zeballos added to it at 61 on Sabah’s pass and Cristian Riveros rubbed it in on a pass from Edgar Lugo at 66.

And to add another humilliation, Cruz Azul did not even put in all of its stars. Forward Alejandro Alpizar, who was as shackled as the rest of the Saprissa offense, told Radio Colombia that “we had a bad night and nothing worked. We thought the match would be ours but our rival managed the ball well and confused us a little.” (If you didn’t recognize that, it’s a classic example of Costa Rican understatement.)

Saprissa will meet Alajuela next Saturday at home for the classic but even that is fraught with vexation. The 7 p,m, starting time at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in Tibas conflicts with Channel 7″s most popular TV show, “Bailando por un Sueno,” which could cut attendance and even TV coverage. (That show is a dance tournament and the only passtime more popular than soccer here is dancing. Moreover, it could cause severe domestic strife as the wife wants to watch dancing and her husband soccer.)

CONCACAF Schedule, Tuesday Saprissa battles Marathon in Costa Rica and Wednesday D.C. United meets Cruz Azul in RFK Stadium in Washington.

by Rod Hughes

In a promising opener to the Concacaf soccer tournament, the regional equivalent to the Champions’ League, Saprissa rudely dumped D. C. United at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. Dependable midfielder Walter Centeno scored in the first half and Jairo Arrieta, continuing a steak of goals begun in First Division play, put on the capper in the second.

It was the big purple “S” at its best, fast and aggressive in attack, creating numerous scoring opportunities against traditionally one of the powerhouses of U.S. Major League Soccer. Although often the boys from Tibas get a bit windy playing away and are not always the most consistent, from Alejandro Alpizar’s dangerous shot at the goal after only four minutes, the fans had no doubt who was in charge here.

D.C. appeared to have been stunned these upstarts from Central America and never regained their balance. On their part, Saprissa never let the reins loose and Alpizar, far from disconcerted at missing a shot in the first minutes, fed the always dangerous Centeno a pass 28 minutes later that later turned out to be the winner. Arrieta’s goal at minute 52 was just to show that the first one had been no fluke.

For poor D.C. goalie Zachary Wells it must have been like standing alone against a machine gun attack. When Saprissa wasn’t taking the ball into enemy territory in front of the goal, they were stealing the ball and returning to the attack. To make matters worse for D.C. United, their Trevor McTavish, desperately trying to gain control of the situation, made an incautious, unnecessarily rough play and got himself sent off at minute 35. But with 10 men or the full 11, likely the result would have been the same for them.