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Costa Rica’s Marco Ureña completes fairytale of shock win over Uruguay Costa Rica’s Marco Ureña completes fairytale of shock win over Uruguay
(about 1 hour later)
The sense of history might have been stifling for Costa Rica. Thrust into Group D alongside three former world champions, the Central Americans have been considered the small fry. This is only their fourth World Cup appearance. Every statistic has attacked them. They had never previously beaten Uruguay, for example. The sense of history might have been stifling for Costa Rica. Thrust into Group D alongside three former world champions, the central Americans have been considered as the small fry. This is only their fourth World Cup and every statistic has seemed to attack them. They had never beaten Uruguay, for example.
But Jorge Luis Pinto had stressed that famous jerseys meant nothing and the present was all that mattered. On a marvellous night for the Costa Rica manager and his players, they wrote a glorious new chapter, surely one of the finest of their history. Jorge Luis Pinto, though, had stressed that famous jerseys and reputations meant nothing and that the present was all that mattered. On a night that came coated in glory for the manager and his players, they scoffed at the preconceptions and illuminated this stadium with a breathtaking second-half comeback.
They did it the hard way, falling behind to an Edinson Cavani penalty and looking second best during the first half. But they were electric after the interval, hurting Uruguay with quick-fire goals from Joel Campbell, the man of the match, and Óscar Duarte. And to complete the fairytale, the substitute Marco Ureña ran on to Campbell’s pass to slide beyond Fernando Muslera only minutes after his introduction. They did it the hard way, having started slowly and fallen behind to an Edinson Cavani penalty. At half-time, the notion that Costa Rica would get anything felt far-fetched. Uruguay had bristled with streetwise assurance and their lead might have been greater, but for Keylor Navas’s wonderful save from Diego Forlán. The goalkeeper scrambled back to tip Forlán’s deflected shot over the crossbar on 44 minutes.
On this evidence, Campbell may yet have a chance at Arsenal, his parent club, from where he has been loaned for the past three seasons. The striker was full of intelligent running and he showed not only that he possessed a ferocious shot but composure, too. His equaliser was the goal of the evening and by the end, the Uruguay right-back Maxi Pereira felt the red mist descend. He swung a spiteful kick at Campbell, as they tussled by the corner, to receive a straight red card. But Costa Rica were electric after the interval, hurting Uruguay with their pace and aerial threat on set pieces. They fashioned a devastating one-two punch in the form of goals from Joel Campbell and Óscar Duarte and, to complete the perfect evening, the substitute Marco Ureña ran on to a pass from Campbell to score within minutes of his introduction.
Uruguay could not escape the pitch quick enough after the second half of their nightmares. Óscar Tabárez chose not to risk Luis Suárez, even as a substitute, and he now faces a mammoth task to lift his players for Thursday’s meeting against England. Their hopes appear to hang by a thread. Campbell was the star turn. He had offered a threat while the chips were down in the first half, showing intelligent movement and his powerful shooting, but it was in the second half when he turned the screw. His equaliser was the goal of the evening, a composed chest-down and left-footed thump past Fernando Muslera and, by the end, Uruguay and the defender Maxi Pereira had had enough.
Costa Rica had initially been determined not to be breached, with Pinto starting with his favoured back five and four-man midfield. The priority would be to remain compact, rather than commit too many forward in support of the striker, Campbell, who did look a threat when he saw the ball. The right-back swung a spiteful kick at Campbell as they tussled by the corner to earn a straight red card. Pereira was not the only Uruguayan to be censured in the second half. Diego Lugano, Walter Gargano and Martín Cáceres were booked for cynical challenges, as Uruguay fought, without success, to stem the tide.
Uruguay also prefer to counter but they stepped on to the front foot from virtually the first whistle, sensing that the initiative would have to come from them. Whereas Costa Rica sometimes chose route one, Uruguay sought to get the ball down and pass it. They worked some attractive triangles and they flickered before the breakthrough goal. On this evidence, Campbell may yet forge a career at Arsenal, the club that he joined from Saprissa in 2011 but has yet to play for. His past three seasons have been spent on loan, although he has now has a work permit to go with the desire to make his mark upon the Premier League.
From Martín Cáceres’s cross, Cavani flicked on and Diego Godín, the ultra-composed Atlético Madrid defender, guided home. His joy, though, was cut short by an offside flag that, to general relief, after the first couple of days that the tournament has had, was raised correctly. Godín smiled. Moments later, following Diego Forlán’s free-kick, a fluffed attempted clearance from Yeltsin Tejeda and a ricochet off Michael Umaña, the ball broke to Cavani. It was a big chance. He miskicked the volley. This was the result of Uruguayan nightmares and they could not escape the scene of their torture quick enough. Nor could their supporters. The descent from comfort to disaster was startling and their World Cup hopes have been left to hang by a thread.
Costa Rica could lament the breakthrough on several levels. Tejeda did not need to leap into the challenge on Cristián Rodríguez with both feet off the ground and, if he was lucky not to be booked, a harsher punishment would briskly be meted out. Forlán whipped in the free-kick with pace and power and Júnior Díaz allowed Diego Lugano to get goal side of him. His attempt to repair the damage was both clumsy and damaging, as he wrapped his arms around Lugano’s waist. The Uruguay captain went down, Felix Brych, the German referee, pointed to the spot and Cavani never looked as though he would miss. Óscar Tabárez chose not to bring Luis Suárez off the substitutes’ bench, as the striker recovers from keyhole knee surgery and the manager faces a huge task to lift his shattered players for Thursday’s meeting with England. On the downside for England, Uruguay will be angry and determined to save their necks. Another defeat could be fatal.
With Rodríguez prominent on the left, Uruguay had the better of the first half and they might have been further in front but for a wonderful save by Keylor Navas on 44 minutes; the goalkeeper scrambled back to tip over Forlán’s deflected shot in acrobatic style. As for Suárez, Tabárez said there had been “uncertainties as far as his fitness is concerned”. He refused to offer any assurances, saying: “If Luis improves, there is a chance he may play against England.”
For Costa Rica, Campbell fizzed a left-footed rocket wide from distance and, following two set-pieces, Giancarlo González had the scent of goal. On both occasions, though, he could not apply the decisive touch. Costa Rica had set up with five at the back, four in midfield and the desire not to be breached. Uruguay might also prefer to strike on the counter but it was they who stepped on to the front foot, sensing that they needed to force the issue. They worked some attractive triangles in the first half and they flickered before the opening goal, when Diego Godín had an effort pulled back for offside and then when Cavani miskicked a volley. That was a bad miss.
England and Italy would have noted Uruguay’s vulnerability to set pieces – together with their lack of invention in central midfield and all-round pace – and Costa Rica ought to have equalised when Duarte tiptoed round the back to meet Christian Bolaños’s free-kick only to head straight at Muslera. Costa Rica could lament their concession for several reasons. Yeltsin Tejeda jumped with two feet off the ground to foul Cristian Rodríguez and if the midfielder was fortunate not to be booked, the punishment was swiftly meted out. Forlán whipped in the free-kick and Júnior Díaz allowed Lugano to get goal-side of him. His attempt to repair the damage was clumsy, wrapping his arms around Lugano’s waist, and Cavani converted the penalty with the minimum of fuss.
Uruguay’s reprieve was temporary. Costa Rica were a team transformed after half-time and they left their opponents reeling with a devastating one-two punch. First, Cristian Gamboa chased a seemingly lost cause, won it and crossed from the byline on the right. Celso Borges attacked it but Campbell cutely held back and, when the ball came to him, he took charge to slam past Muslera. Campbell had fizzed a rocket wide from distance and there were the signs that Uruguay were vulnerable to set-pieces. Twice, Giancarlo González had the scent of goal, the first time from Duarte’s nod back but he could not apply the decisive touch.
Moments later, Uruguay were on their knees. From another Bolaños free-kick, Duarte once again attacked the far post, ahead of Rodríguez to score with a stooping header. If there was the suspicion of offside, his bravery in putting his head near to Rodríguez’s boot was commendable. Campbell would then curl another long-range shot inches wide. “Cost-a-Ric-a,” chanted the crowd, many of whom were Brazilian. There is no love lost between Brazil and Uruguay. Uruguay’s weaknesses were more pronounced in the second half and Duarte ought to have equalised when he beat Godín to Christian Bolaños’s free-kick only to head straight at Muslera. Uruguay’s reprieve was temporary. Cristian Gamboa chased a seemingly lost cause, won it and crossed from the by-line on the right and when it came through for Campbell, he crashed home.
Back came Uruguay, with three substitutions, although not Suárez. Cavani got into a dangerous area and crossed but to nobody while he also worked Navas with a header. Yet it was Ureña who had the last word. Costa Rica had produced a seismic shock. Moments later, Uruguay were on their knees. From another Bolaños free-kick, Duarte once again attacked the far post, ahead of Rodríguez, to score with a brave, stooping header. Campbell would also curl another long-range shot inches wide. “Cost-a-Ric-a,” chanted the crowd, many of whom were Brazilian. There is no love lost between Brazil and Uruguay.
Back came Uruguay. Cavani got into a dangerous area and he crossed but there was nobody there while he also made Navas with a header. Yet it was Ureña who had the last word. Costa Rica could enjoy one of the great nights.