Costa Rica 4 Suriname 3
June 15 – With the baking sun of a sweltering San Diego day in Southern California giving way to a cool evening, Costa Rica went from red hot to freezing cold as they threw away their lead and had to battle back to win with 10 men and a penalty more than 10 minutes into added time.
It was a remarkable evening of seesawing emotion, dramatic twists and turns and a killer finish.
Manfred Ugalde was Costa Rica’s with two penalties, the last deep into added time with the Costa Ricans down to 10 men.
Suriname will rue not having come away with anything but in truth Costa Rica were the better side though it could so easily have gone against them in the end.
Costa Rica under Miguel Herrera have been rebuilding after the retirement of a golden generation that had pushed them into Concacaf’s elite. And for the best part of an hour they looked like they had taken a step in the right direction.
Comfortable on the ball and incisive when they needed to be, they had the measure of Suriname. But were they flattering to deceive? Perhaps, but in the end they showed they weren’t just skilful players but they had real fight in them as well.
Suriname are in only their second appearance at the Gold Cup. The Dutch speaking nation beat Martinique in the Preliminary qualifiers to secure their spot in the finals.
Both sides lined up with 5-3-2 formations, giving license to their wing backs to maraude down the flanks.
Alonso Martinez started sharply for Costa Rica, twice being put though but unable to latch on to the ball. The first time missing it all together and the second picking up a yellow card for diving.
At the other end Keylor Navas in Costa Rica’s goal, now aged 39 but looking in great shape, showed why he was once the world’s number 1 with a point blank save from Denzel Jubitana. Ridgeciano Haps hit the rebound over the top from 6m.
In the 15th minute New York City FC striker Martinez had his goal.
Brandon Aguilera drove in from the left wing passing across goal to Martinez who was squeezed by his defender and Suriname keeper Etienne Vaessen but got just enough on the ball to angle it into the right hand corner.
Three minutes later Costa Rica had a second. Anfernee Dijksteel brought down Joseph Mora in the box. Manfred Ugalde made the penalty look easily sending Vaessen the wrong way.
Costa Rica were now rampant, slicing through Suriname at will and on both sides of the pitch, getting players in numbers into the box. But while Suriname were on the back foot they weren’t completely out of it.
On the half hour mark Richonell Margaret chipped the ball in from the left for Gyrano Kerk with the deftest of touches to head the ball on and over Navas – 2-1.
Costa Rica responded by upping their intensity and keeping the game into Suriname’s final third. Martinez could have had a second after persistent work by Carlos Mora on the right. Suriname were struggling to get a foot on the ball. Costa Rica closed out the half comfortably in control but would have liked more to show for a dominance that saw them with close to 60% of the possession.
The break brought little relief for the under siege Surinamese who had now reverted to a back five with four in front to keep the slick passing Costa Ricans at bay. Vaessens kept the difference to one goal with a smart low save from an incoming Mora who took every opportunity to rampage through from midfield.
But football can be a cruel game and if you don’t take your chances it can come back to bite you hard.
A slip on the left by Fernan Faerron allowed Kerk to steal the ball ball and drive towards Navas before sliding the ball across Richonell Margaret to level the scores at 2-2 just before the hour mark.
Suddenly the tide had turned and three minutes later Suriname were ahead, completely against the run of play. Called to the pitchside monitor the referee awarded a handball against Orlando Galo. Margaret stepped up for his second goal of the night – 3-2 Suriname.
With the scent of an unlikely victory Suriname had a new urgency and confidence to their play, no longer content to sit deep.
But now it was Costa Rica’s turn to find a bit more urgency and on 75 minutes they did. A prolonged period of pressure on the Suriname goal saw the ball come out to substitute Josimar Alcoker who hammered his shot through a crowd of players to level the scores at 3-3.
Everything to play for and Suriname clearly wanted a bigger piece of the pie – Margaret almost had his hattrick, swivelling in the box to hit ball against Navas’ post.
With temperatures raised, on 83 minutes Costa Rica called for a penalty. The referee ruled it was just outside the box. Ariel Lassiter, on as a sub, hit the ball into the wall.
As the clock ticked into 8 minute of added time Warren Madrigal was carried off injured leaving Costa Rica with 10 men, but still they pressed for the winner.
Exposed at the back Navas made another crucial save to keep the match even. It was now end-to-end excitement as the match hit fever pitch and moved past 10 minutes of added time.
Costa Rica pressed and won a penalty. Up stepped Ugarde for his second penalty of the night which he cooly converted, 4-3 to Costa Rica.
What a way to spend a Sunday evening!
Suriname now head to Arlington, Texas, and a date with Mexico. Costa Rica meet Dominican Republic.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1750079001labto1750079001ofdlr1750079001owedi1750079001sni@n1750079001osloh1750079001cin.l1750079001uap1750079001