Haiti stuns Ecuador

Costa Rica draws Trinidad, makes Gold Cup quarterfinals

MIAMI (AP) -- Costa Rica assured itself of a place in the Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday, despite allowing a 90th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago, while Haiti stayed alive by beating Ecuador 2-0.

Stern John saved Trinidad from defeat when he converted his spot kick after Costa Rica defender Luis Marin fouled Trinidad's Angus Eve inside the penalty area.

Rolando Fonseca gave Costa Rica, a 2002 World Cup qualifier, a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the tournament in the 57th minute.

Costa Rica midfielder Mauricio Solis ran deep into the Trinidad penalty area and centered a pass to a charging Fonseca, who scored from 15 meters (yards).

Trinidad almost leveled in the 74th minute when Avery John had a clear shot on goal, but Costa Rica goalkeeper Erick Lonnis made a leg save on the 18-meter (yard) attempt.

Costa Rica dominated the first half, but failed to slip several scoring opportunities past Trinidad goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.

In the 12th minute, Ronald Gomez's 22-meter (yard) shot was stopped by Hislop and Gomez was again denied by Hislop in the 37th minute.

Hislop also saved potential goals in the 19th and 22nd minutes, stopping a 12-meter (yard) shot by Fonseca and Walter Centeno's attempt.

Trinidad nearly took the lead just before halftime, but Stern John's shot from a difficult angle on the left wing sailed just wide of the far post.

The winner of Tuesday's Trinidad-Martinique match will also advance to the quarterfinals from Group C. If the match finishes in a draw, Trinidad will advance.

Later Sunday, in Group D, Haiti kept its chances alive by beating Ecuador as Charles Alerte scored the second goal of the match in the 45th minute.

Haiti got its first goal in the opening minutes as Ecuador's Edison Mendez netted an own-goal in the sixth minute. Mendez was attempting to clear Golman Pierrre's cross from the right wing.

Ecuador, the Group D favorites, finished second to Argentina in South American World Cup qualifying last year and advanced to this year's World Cup finals.

Clever Chala nearly tied the match for Ecuador in the 15th minute, but his 15-meter (yard) shot was cleared by Haiti's Roosevelt Desir.

Alerte then made it 2-0 with a 10-meter (yard) header from a Gilbert Jean-Baptiste cross.

Ecuador's Raul Gerron was ejected in the 30th minute for elbowing Desir, but Haiti's man advantage was nullified in the 50th minute when defender Frantz Gilles was red carded for a hard foul on Ecuador's Angel Fernandez.

Haiti, which lost to Canada 2-0 on Friday, can still advance to the quarterfinals, depending on the final group match Tuesday, when Ecuador plays Canada.

 

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