Costa Rica win on penalties
June 30, 2014
After Brazil sweated through their team's World Cup penalty drama against Chile, it was Costa Rica's turn to sit through a heart-pounding game decided on spot kicks. A late equalizer from Greece meant Costa Rica - playing a man down thanks to a red card - were forced to hold on until the penalty shootout.
If the first half of the Round of 16 encounter in Recife on Sunday was the only indication, there was no way this match was going to become such a nail-biter. It was characterized by conservative play for both teams. With each side's first ever trip to the quarterfinals on the line, neither wanted to concede the first goal. At the break, the score was tied 0-0, and fans of both teams stifled a collective yawn.
Seven minutes into the second half however, Costa Rica drew first blood. Bryan Ruiz connected on a pass from Cristian Bolanos, sending a slow roller past Greek keeper Orestis Karnezis to put Costa Rica in the lead 1-0.
Things were looking good for just over 10 minutes for the Cinderella team of the tournament when Oscar Duarte was shown his second yellow card and sent off in the 66th minute. With an extra man, Greece were able to create chances on goal and had a few shots that were only saved thanks to goalkeeping heroics of Costa Rica's Keylor Navas.
Regular time expired with Costa Rica still in the lead, but only thirty seconds in to the five minutes of injury time, the tide turned for Greece. Sokratis finally got the best of Navas when a deflected save from the keeper landed at Borussia Dortmund defender's feet. His strike to make it 1-1 sent the game into extra time.
On clearly tired legs and still playing a man down, Costa Rica managed to hold Greece for the full 30 minutes of extra time, and for the second time in four games, a match in the Round of 16 went to penalties.
As the teams prepped for the spot kicks and took a much needed breather, Greece's coach Fernando Santos was sent to the stands for arguing with an official.
The first three rounds saw both teams sink their penalties. Costa Rica's Joel Cambell scored on his team's fourth attempt, but Greece's Theofanis Gekas was blocked by Navas to give Los Ticos the chance to decide the game on the final penalty from Michael Umana. He converted the spot kick, and Costa Rica advanced to the quarterfinals with a final shootout score of 5-3.
Costa Rica face the Netherlands in Saturday's quarterfinal matchup in Salvador.