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Canada Claim Group A Title After 1-1 Draw
Canada tied Costa Rica 2-2 and finished atop Group A as the Canucks finished with seven points.
Jul 10, 2009 10:01:22 PM
Canada continued their surprising run in the Gold Cup by finishing their Group A clash with Costa Rica in a 2-2 tie.
Needing a win to secure their own passage to the second round, Costa Rica put some early sustained pressure on Canada but goalkeeper Greg Sutton stood firm, making several early saves on Costa Rican set pieces.
However, it was Sutton who accounted for Costa Rica's first goal as he had an awful clearance that led to the goal.
In the 24th minute, Sutton was near the top of the penalty area when he sent the ball towards the middle of the field. The ball instead bounced to Walter Centeno, who headed the ball right back towards the penalty area. Andy Herron ran onto the ball and chipped Sutton, who stumbled on his way back trying to cover the goal.
Costa Rica's own porous defense gave the goal right back, though. Two minutes later, Josh Simpson whipped a left-footed cross to the center of the box. Patrice Bernier was unmarked as Gonzalo Segares drifted away from Bernier inside the area. Bernier easily redirected the cross into the back of the net.
In the 30th minute, Marcel De Jong gave Canada the lead. De Jong had sent free kick towards goal but the ball was cleared right back to him. De Jong dribbled forward and ripped a left-footed shot from 35 yards out that bounced and skipped past Costa Rican goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez.
Centeno equalized the match and provided the final goal of the half, and game, when he curled a left-footed 27-yard free kick over the wall and past Sutton's outstretched arms.
Neither team could do much in the second half. Canada's scoring the star of the first two games, Ali Gerba, did not start and came on in the 75th minute to try and inject some life into the game but nothing came of it.
Canada will now face the second-place team in Group B while Costa Rica will await the El Salvador-Jamaica match to have their own fate determined.
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Needing a win to secure their own passage to the second round, Costa Rica put some early sustained pressure on Canada but goalkeeper Greg Sutton stood firm, making several early saves on Costa Rican set pieces.
However, it was Sutton who accounted for Costa Rica's first goal as he had an awful clearance that led to the goal.
In the 24th minute, Sutton was near the top of the penalty area when he sent the ball towards the middle of the field. The ball instead bounced to Walter Centeno, who headed the ball right back towards the penalty area. Andy Herron ran onto the ball and chipped Sutton, who stumbled on his way back trying to cover the goal.
Costa Rica's own porous defense gave the goal right back, though. Two minutes later, Josh Simpson whipped a left-footed cross to the center of the box. Patrice Bernier was unmarked as Gonzalo Segares drifted away from Bernier inside the area. Bernier easily redirected the cross into the back of the net.
In the 30th minute, Marcel De Jong gave Canada the lead. De Jong had sent free kick towards goal but the ball was cleared right back to him. De Jong dribbled forward and ripped a left-footed shot from 35 yards out that bounced and skipped past Costa Rican goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez.
Centeno equalized the match and provided the final goal of the half, and game, when he curled a left-footed 27-yard free kick over the wall and past Sutton's outstretched arms.
Neither team could do much in the second half. Canada's scoring the star of the first two games, Ali Gerba, did not start and came on in the 75th minute to try and inject some life into the game but nothing came of it.
Canada will now face the second-place team in Group B while Costa Rica will await the El Salvador-Jamaica match to have their own fate determined.
Goal.com
Visit Goal.com for more coverage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Want more from Goal.com delivered right to your door? Introducing "Goal.com Magazine." Subscribe now!
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Costa Rica - El Salvador
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Costa Rica 1-2 El Salvador
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