- May, 11 2009 -
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It took an own-goal in the 61st minute but it was enough for Mexico in a 1-0 win Sunday against Costa Rica Sunday in the final match of group play of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.
Despite the loss, Costa Rica clinched a slot in the tournament semifinals to complete the field, and earned the confederation’s last berth in the World Cup in Nigeria to be held in October and November.
Earlier Sunday, Guatemala beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 but fell just short of Costa Rica and the semifinals on goal difference
Costa Rica finished with four points in the Group B standings with a plus-two goal differential compared to Guatemala’s four points and zero difference.
Mexico, which already had clinched a slot in the semifinals, finished undefeated atop the Group B standings having outscored its opponents 11-0.
Mexico will face Honduras, and Costa Rica will take on the United States, which also won its three group matches, in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Costa Rica cost itself when Adrian Mora headed a ball into his own net. He was trying to clear a cross from the left by Mexico’s Erick Vera, but nudged the ball into his own goal.
The gaffe delighted the capacity crowd at Estadio Caliente, which burst into cheers, and instigated the Costa Rica players to scream at each other.
“The game was going the way we wanted it before the goal,” Costa Rica coach Juan Diego Quesada said in Spanish. “Mexico had already qualified. They were a little relaxed. It was just a bad moment when the goal fell.”
The Ticos’ mistakes changed the rhythm of a match mostly controlled by Mexico, which started six reserves.
Mexico coach Jose Luis Gonzalez opted to rest Jose Rodriguez, Jairo Gonzalez, Abraham Coronado, Martin Galvan, Luis Telles and Vera.
Vera replaced Oscar Garcia four minutes before sending the cross into the area which resulted in the own-goal.
“We weren’t as efficient because of the lineup changes but it was a positive effort by our players,” Mexican coach Jose Luis Gonzalez said in Spanish. “We adjusted and the team changed a lot. It’s always important to win, we’re happy with the result.”
In the first match of the day, Gabriel Navas and Kendel Herrate scored first-half goals and Gerson Lima added another in the second half to help Guatemala earn its only win in the tournament.
Jose Castillo fed Navas a filtered pass into the penalty area between defenders, and Navas caught Trinidad goalkeeper John Thomas off his line.
Castillo raked in his second assist when he sent a long rolling ball to Herrate just outside the penalty area. Herrate shook off a defender and lobbed a soft right-footed shot over Thomas, who again was caught off his line.
Herrate’s shot bounced into the Trinidad goal for a 2-0 lead.
Lima capped the scoring for Guatemala in the 69th minute with a shot from about 38 yards.
Lima struck a loose ball with his right foot, sending it out of the reach of Thomas into the upper-left corner.
Trinidad had limited looks at goal but perhaps its clearest came in the 43rd minute when Shahdon Winchester blasted a shot from 40 yards. Guatemala goalkeeper Eddy Garcia slapped the shot over the crossbar, holding on to his first shutout of the tournament.
Trinidad went home with three losses and having been outscored 13-0.
Video of all matches can be viewed at the U-17 championship page at CONCACAF.com.
