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Nice start, eh? Gold Cup opener ends up in embarrassment for Costa RicaPosted: Saturday July 12, 2003 4:21 PMUpdated: Saturday July 12, 2003 9:00 PM
FOXBORO, Mass. (Reuters) -- A second-half strike by Paul Stalteri gave Canada a shock 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in Saturday's opening game in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Costa Rica, ranked 18th in the world -- compared to Canada at 78 -- dominated most of the Group D match but failed to take their scoring chances, especially in the second half. They paid the price when a composed Canada side snatched victory with Stalteri's 59th minute strike on the break. Midfielder Jason Bent made a run down the right flank, Costa Rica defender Luis Marin failed to control his cross and Stalteri surged through to beat Ricardo Gonzalez from 16 metres. The goal, silencing a crowd of nearly 24,000 at the Gillette Stadium that was mainly supporting Costa Rica, followed a series of missed chances by the favorites. Walter Centeno, put through by Leonardo Gonzalez, could only graze the right post, while striker Winston Parks broke through on the right side, only for his angled shot to be parried by goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld. Parks then failed to beat Hirschfeld again from just seven metres after collecting the ball from Rolando Fonseca, while the ensuing counter-attack led to Stalteri's goal. Canada, winners of the 2000 Gold Cup, had nearly taken a 26th minute lead when Daniel Imhof drilled a shot from eight metres which Ricardo Gonzalez just managed to fist away. The seventh edition of the 12-nation tournament also features defending champions United States along with Guatemala, Cuba, Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador, Martinique and South American invitees Brazil and Columbia. Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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