Costa Rica continued their winning ways, earning their second victory of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup by beating Cuba 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at Qwest Field in Seattle. Two goals by second-half substitute Randall Brenes proved to be the difference. A young Cuban team played strong, but like in their performance against the United States in their opening game of the tournament, faltered at the end of the match.
Costa Rica and Cuba played an even first half, feeling each other out and looking for combinations that would work. Very few scoring opportunities were created by either team. Lester More, who scored Cuba's only goal in their opening game against the United States, had the best chance in the first half, but his header off a cross sailed over the net from 12 yards out.
Costa Rica nearly broke through the Cuban defense late in the first half, but a sliding touch by defender Reysander Fernandez prevented the breakaway. Each team only had one shot on goal in the first half.
With the second half underway, Costa Rica, who made two substitutions at the break, had a quality scoring chance when Oscar Ruiz fired a shot from the top of the penalty box, but Cuban goalie and captain Odeline Molina stood his ground with a save. Costa Rica started to put pressure on the Cuban net, accumulating several consecutive corner kicks.
Costa Rica's pressure from the corner kicks finally paid off in the 61st minute. Jafet Soto, who scored Costa Rica's lone goal in their 1-0 over Canada on Thursday, took a corner kick and played a perfect ball to Randall Brenes in front of the net. Brenes, who came on as a substitute at halftime, headed the ball past Molina into the upper left corner of the net.
Cuba had an answer for Brenes' goal. In the 73rd minute, Maykel Galindo received a pass behind the Costa Rican defense and was one-on-one with Costa Rica goalie Alvaro Mesen. Galindo shot the ball through the legs off Mesen. The ball hit the inside of the left post and barely rolled over the line and into the goal.
Although Cuba fired up the crowd and themselves with the tying goal, Costa Rica was able to remain calm and regain the lead. Cuban goalie Molina was chasing down a loose ball in the box when he tripped up Jafet Soto for a penalty kick. Soto stepped up and scored from the spot, his second goal of the tournament to give Costa Rica a 2-1 lead in the 81st minute. Five minutes later, Brenes used some impressive individual skill to chip the ball over the Cuban defense to himself, but he was fouled in the penalty box before he could shoot. Brenes took the penalty kick and scored, but the referee called an infraction on Costa Rica and forced a re-take. Brenes stepped up again and scored his second goal of the match in the 86th minute, giving Costa Rica a 3-1 lead.
Cuba could not find an answer, leaving the final score 3-1 in favor of Costa Rica. The win was Costa Rica's second of the tournament and gave them six points.
Both teams will conclude Group B play on Tuesday, July 12th in Foxboro, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. Costa Rica will play the United States in the first game. Costa Rica and the United States are both still alive in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Currently, the United States are in second place and Costa Rica is in third. In the second game of the doubleheader, Canada will face Cuba.
Miller Lite Man of the Match: Randall Brenes
Scoring Summary:
CRC - Randall Brenes, 61'
CUB - Maykel Galindo, 73'
CRC - Jafet Soto, 81' (PK)
CRC - Randall Brenes, 86' (PK)
Costa Rica - Alvaro Mesen, Michael Umana, Gabriel Badilla, Oscar Rojas, Bryan Ruiz (21-Brenes, 45'), Jafet Soto, Christian Bolanos (17-Bryce, 75'), Junior Diaz (3-Miller, 45'), Geiner Segura, Mauricio Wright, Douglas Sequeira
TD: Alexander Guimaraes
Cuba - Odelin Molina, Silvio Pedro Minoso (19-Munoz, 68'), Yenier Marquez, Alexander Cruzata, Enrique Villaurrutia, Alain Cervantes, Lester More, Maykel Galindo, Gisbel Morales (18-Duarte, 85'), Reysander Fernandez, Pedro Adriani Faife (7-Ramirez, 60')
TD: Armelio Luis Garcia
Misconduct Summary:
CUB - Gisbel Morales, 45'
CUB - Alexander Cruzata, 66'
Referee: Benito Archundia (MEX)
Referee's Assistants: Arturo Velazquez (MEX), Pedro Rebollar (MEX)
4th Official: Jose Pineda (HON)
