WEEKLY WHINE

Costa Rica and friends

A wild match in Miami, FL this week resolved a long standing question and gave eleven men cause to celebrate. No, not the Orange Bowl. We refer, of course, to the CONCACAF playoff match yesterday evening between Costa Rica and Guatemala, won 5-2 by a spirited Costa Rican side.

The two nations faced one another for the second straight time in CONCACAF qualifying. At the close of the semifinal round, Guatemala defeated Costa Rica 2-1 at home, leaving them tied for the second and last qualifying slot in Group E. Each had identical goal totals, 9 for and 6 against. Each beat the other 2-1. The only way to resolve the draw was through a single game playoff.

Guatemala were the first on the board as Carlos Ruiz scored on a pass from Juan Carlos Plata in the fourth minute. It was yet another key goal for Ruiz, who also scored in the 87th minute of the WED 15 NOV 2000 to force the playoff.

But Costa Rica were quick to equalize on a loose ball in the corner of Guatemala's penalty area. Paulo Wanchope controlled the ball and squeezed a shot between keeper Edgar Estrada and the near post, making it 1-1 in the seventh minute. Costa Rica controlled much of the match from then on, leading to a Rolando Fonseca goal on a breakaway just before halftime.

Shortly after play resumed in the second half, an incident off the ball forced referee Rodolfo Sibrian to send off Guatemala's German Ruano. Playing most of the second half a man down, Guatemala stood little chance against the unrelenting Costa Rican attack. The Ticos scored back to back goals separated by only two minutes to extend their lead to 4-1. The second was scored by Fonseca, who plays professionally in Guatemala, from 25 yards away.

Costa Rica will face Honduras on TUE 27 FEB 2001 to begin the final round. Honduras was the second most improved national team in the world in 2000, according to the FIFA World Ranking. The other match that day will see Jamaica against Trinidad and Tobago. The United States will meet Mexico the next day in Columbus, OH.

This year's crop of contenders is generally considered CONCACAF's strongest ever. Jamaica, the USA, and Mexico represented CONCACAF at France 98. They are joined by three rapidly improving nations that would like to show that they deserve World Cup appearances as well. They will play a total of thirty matches this year to decide which three of them will go to Korea/Japan 2002. The qualifying process concludes in NOV 2001.