Wanchope hits double

Costa Rica tops S. Korea to make Gold Cup final

PASADENA, California (AP) -- Paulo Cesar Wanchope scored two goals Wednesday to lead Costa Rica to a 3-1 victory against South Korea in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament at the Rose Bowl.

Costa Rica will face either the United States or Canada, the defending Gold Cup champion, for the title Saturday. The two North American teams meet in Wednesday's other semifinal.

South Korea will face the loser of the United States-Canada match for third place in the game preceding Saturday's final.

Wanchope, who plays for Manchester City in England's First Division, now has four goals in the Gold Cup to tie Brian McBride of the United States for the scoring lead.

Ronald Gomez gave Costa Rica a 1-0 lead in the 44th minute before then Wanchope scored his first goal in the 77th minute.

Wanchope secured Mauricio Solis' high diagonal pass from the left wing, beat defender Choi Jin-Cheul and fired a 7.2-meter (8-yard) shot off the hands of goalkeeper Kim Byung-Ji.

Choi narrowed the deficit to 2-1 in the 81st minute, but Wanchope ensured the victory on a breakaway shot from 13.5 meters (15 yards).

South Korea played without starting defender Kim Nam-Il and head coach Guus Hiddink, who were serving one-game suspensions.

Kim received his second yellow card of the tournament in the quarterfinals against Mexico. Hiddink, who guided the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup, was ejected during overtime of that game.

 

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