Despite Costa Rica’s impressive 2-1 victory against Paraguay on Tuesday evening, it wasn’t enough to see La Sele progress to the knockout stages, as Brazil and Colombia played out a 1-1 draw in the other group tie. In team news, coach Gustavo Alfaro made five changes from last week’s defeat to Colombia, with Gerald Taylor, Joseph Mora, Jefferson Brenes, Josimar Alcócer and Joel Campbell deputizing for Haxzel Quirós, Ariel Lassiter, Brandon Aguilera, Álvaro Zamora and Manfred Ugalde. Los Ticos needed results to go their way, along with a big swing in goal difference to qualify, and they wasted no time getting on the board when they took the lead through captain Francisco Calvo, who headed home a teasing Mora cross from the edge of the six-yard box.
Things got even better just four minutes later when 19-year-old Alcocer showcased his undoubted talent by dribbling past several players from his own half and slotting a precise low shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 20 years out. For sure, Costa Rica’s goal of the tournament. La Sele were a surprising two goals to the good after just seven minutes and dreaming of an unlikely qualification.
But the momentum waned as Paraguay grew into the game. In fact, the goals were Costa Rica’s only shots on target in the contest. Los Guaraníes nearly got a goal back mid-way through the half when the lively Julio Enciso bent a curling effort just wide of Patrick Sequeira’s goal from the edge of the box.
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