Gold Cup: El Salvador Hit Late To Beat Costa Rica

CARSON, Calif.--In the second half of a Home Depot Center double-header, El Salvador beat Costa Rica 2-1 through a Osael Romero brace. Substitute Warren Granados had leveled the score just after the hour mark, but the Salvadorians' second with only four minutes left to play decided the game.

A sold-out stadium of 27,000 clearly favored El Salvador, as the stadium was awash in blue and white and producing a bone-chilling atmosphere. The decibel levels reached during the El Salvadorian national anthem were high enough to make even David Beckham blush.

First Half

The excitement carried on into the action. When referee Benito Archundia gave El Salvador a series of free kick decisions, the crowd cheered each one as if its team had won the game. Both teams were sharp out of the gate, showing quick touches and plenty of determined running to chase the ball.

The opening goal came from a blisteringly quick counterattack in the 20th minute. Costa Rica had a free kick down the right flank. However, when Walter Centeno lofted the ball into the box, the El Salvadorian defense pushed up, leaving all of the Costa Rican attackers offsides. Miguel Montes in the El Salvadorian goal collected without pressure and sprung the counter, punting to William Reyes. The striker headed out to Osael Romero, who wiggled free of maker Pablo Herrera in the box before curling a shot into the net to open the scoring and set his fans into jubilation.

Just after the half hour mark, the Costa Ricans rolled the dice. Coach Rodrigo Kenton chucked attacker Andy Herron into the action for defender Harold Wallace. Herrera slid back into the right side of defense to accommodate the extra attacking threat.

Herron added some pace down the right, but it was the El Salvadorians who had the best chance following the change. From a Costa Rican corner, the nimble-footed Christian Castillo led a counterattack down the pitch. With other options available, he decided to go it alone, sizzling a shot wide from distance.

Costa Rica finally had a decent opportunity from a set piece in the 41st minute. Celso Borges ducked down to head a Centeno corner into the base of the upright. When Centeno sent in another effort, 'keeper Montes acrobatically punched it clear of danger.

With the goal advantage, El Salvador sat deep as the half wore on, stiffly repelling the Ticos, who had begun to assert themselves.

Second Half

La Azul wasn't content with its one goal lead, and immediately showed its intention to further the gap. Five minutes into the half, Julio Martinez countered down the right flank, chipping a delightful ball over two defenders and into the path of Reyes in the box. The striker directed his one-time shot on goal, but the fingertips of Kelor Navas kept it out.

Seven minutes later, Alfredo Pacheco slammed a free kick between the two defenders in the wall, but the ball was deflected out for a corner.

The Ticos slowly worked their way into the game again. Celso Borges played a one-two with Alvaro Saborio before hitting a hard shot at Miguel Montes.

Then, 64 minutes in, Costa Rica was level. Saborio showed great hold-up work again, setting Esteban Sirias free down the left. The winger cut a ball through the seam between the defenders and the 'keeper for substitute Warren Granados to poke home.

The goal sucked the life out of the game and the crowd. Players began to visibly tire as a muffled audience waited for more to cheer in the dull spell.

As the game rounded towards fulltime, Costa Rica had two chances to go ahead. However, both Centeno and Saborio fluffed headers in the box to keep the score equal.

Against the run of play, El Salvador went ahead in the 86th minute as Romero grabbed his second of the night. Substitute Rudis Corrales won the ball from Gonzalo Segares and played Reyes down the flank. Reyes beat his man and crossed into the box. The ball took a deflection and fell to Romero, who made no mistake and powered home the game winner.

The crowd was revitalized by the goal, immediately roaring into action, and a tubby El Salvador fan ran across the pitch to hand coach Carlos de los Cobos an El Salvadorian flag. It took security several minutes to drag him off the pitch, as he flailed and struggled every foot of the way.

By the time play was resumed, the Costa Ricans looked too exhausted to muster another challenge. Centero had one final opportunity in injury time from a free kick, but he couldn't coax the ball over the wall. The referee whistled for fulltime even as bottles rained down around Centero, who was trying to take a corner.

Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com

Visit Goal.com for more coverage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.