SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, CMC – Costa Rica, behind new coach Rene Simoes, emphatically revived its World Cup qualifying hopes by thumping Trinidad and Tobago 4-0 in their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium Saturday night.
Alvaro Soborio netted two second-half goals and assisted on another as the Ticos snapped a three-game losing streak in a fine start to the campaign of Brazilian Simoes.
The result against already eliminated T&T lifted Costa Rica from fourth to third in the CONCACAF series with 15 points, trailing the USA (19) and Mexico (18), who both secured spots to the 2010 Finals in South Africa with wins on Saturday night.
The top three finishers from CONCACAF automatically qualify for South Africa and the fourth-placed team will tackle the fifth-place team in South America – currently Uruguay – in a two-way play-off next month for a spot in South Africa 2010.
Costa Rica will now tussle with Honduras (13) for that third automatic spot.
The Costa Ricans will play their final game against the already qualified USA in Washington on Wednesday while Honduras, beaten 3-2 by the USA Saturday night, will to travel to play already eliminated El Salvador.
Looking superior in the first half, Costa Rica were unable to secure a firm hold on the match until the second half.
They only went ahead on 27 minutes through an own-goal by Radanfah Abubakr.
The defender inadvertently deflected a cross by Costa Rica midfielder Michael Barrante into his own goal.
Barrante’s cross initially deflected off the T&T defender Julius James before the ball ricocheted off Abubakr’s shoulder past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, who had earlier made good saves against Christian Montero and Esteban Sirias.
It became 2-0 in the 50th minute when Walter Centeno – converting a cross from Saborio — notched his 23rd career goal for the Ticos and Saborio’s two-goal burst soon after, killed the Caribbean side’s resistance.
scored his first goal in the 61st minute when he pounced on a clever back-heel from veteran midfielder Rolando Fonseca before speeding toward goal to score.
Sabario netted his second of the game just two minutes later, connecting with a fine header from a corner.
The T&T Soca Warriors, who had qualified for the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, ended the game with 10 men after James was shown a red card in the 65th for a clash with Centeno.
Costa Rica missed chance to win 5-0 when Randall Azofeifa’s penalty was saved by Phillip.
T&T coach Russell Latapy applauded his team’s effort for the first half but said stopping the hungry Ticos at home was a difficult challenge.
“At this stage of the campaign, we always knew it was going to be a tough match because Costa Rica had everything to play for while our chances of getting to the World Cup were already over,” Latapy said.
Trinidad and Tobago will close out their campaign against Mexico on Wednesday in Port of Spain.
Mexico and USA secured 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa qualification thanks to wins over El Salvador (4-1) and Honduras (3-2) respectively, in the penultimate round of CONCACAF qualifying.