Spain v. Costa Rica

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Spain v. Costa Rica

Defiant Costa Ricans Deny Spaniards Victory

by Jeremy Ruane

Costa Rica denied Spain victory in both countries' maiden FIFA Women's World Cup Finals fixture at Montreal's Olympic Stadium on June 9, forcing the European team to settle for a point from a 1-1 draw which "Las Ticas" richly deserved.

Spain applied all the early pressure in this encounter, with Irene Paredes' fifth minute downward header, from a Sonia Bermudez corner, being saved to her left by the diving figure of Dinnia Diaz, one of the characters of the Costa Rican team.

She was beaten all ends up eight minutes later, however, as Spain took the lead. Bermudez worked a short corner with Veronica Boquete, with Bermudez angling in a cross which invited Vicky Losada to turn her marker and rifle a fifteen yard drive across Diaz and into the bottom far corner of the net.

Costa Rica's response was instant. Straight from the kick-off, Wendy Acosta pinged the ball upfield. Carolina Venegas chested it down into the stride of Lixy Rodriguez, who made a bee-line for the by-line before rolling the ball back into the stride of Raquel Rodriguez Cedeno, who gleefully tucked home the equaliser into an unguarded net.

After that brief burst of goalscoring action at both ends of the park, the rest of the half devolved into a fairly even but at times rugged affair between two Women's World Cup Finals debutants.

Spain went close to regaining the lead in the 23rd minute when another Bermudez corner this time picked out Alexia Putellas, whose downward header was headed out by Katherine Alvarado, Diana Saenz completing the clearance with a hefty wallop by her post.

Four minutes later, Saenz's fine covering tackle thwarted Natalia Pablos' progress into the Costa Rican penalty area, prompting a counter-attack which saw Maria Barrantes mere inches away from turning the ball home following Alvarado's good work in engineering an opening.

The last act of note in the first half took place twelve minutes before half-time, a long-range free-kick from Alvarado which reared up in front of Spanish goalkeeper Ainhoa Tirapu, forcing her into completing the save at the second attempt.

Cue a good old-fashioned half-time rev-up for "La Roja", who responded in the desired manner straight from the resumption of play. Indeed, they should have been awarded a penalty inside the first sixty seconds of the second half, Diaz's follow-through taking out Pablos after the 'keeper had blocked the striker's initial effort after Bermudez got the better of Saenz on the left.

Argentinian referee Salome Di Iorio saw no foul, however, so Spain pressed again three minutes later, Bermudez combining with overlapping fullback Leire Landa to present Pablos with a headed chance which she guided past the post.

In the 51st minute, Boquete and Pablos combined on the right to set up Jennifer Hermoso for a gilt-edged chance, in space twelve yards from goal. She somehow contrived to guide her effort wide of a target which she should have at least hit, in the absence of any Costa Rican defensive cover in the

immediate vicinity.

Still Spain pressed, Acosta's vital block denying Bermudez's curling effort, after jinking inside two challenges at the pointy end of a slick Spanish raid. Then in the 62nd minute, a terrific slaloming run through at least six Costa Rican challenges by Boquete created another opening for Bermudez, whose curling effort this time grazed the outside of the far post - it deserved better.

After this miss, the Costa Ricans began to believe that this match was theirs for the taking. With Saenz playing the game of her life in defence, and 'keeper Diaz a calm presence behind them, "Las Ticas" set about notching the winner themselves.

Carolina Venegas had penalty claims turned down fifteen minutes from time after going down under the challenge of Paredes, and strayed offside at precisely the wrong moment seconds later as Rodriguez Cedeno made a driving run through from midfield and slipped the ball into her fellow striker's stride.

Back came Spain, the Europeans laying siege to the Costa Rican goal inside the final ten minutes. Boquete fired a fifteen-yarder inches over after their Central American opponents failed to clear a Losada free-kick, while in the 86th minute, substitute Priscila Borja tore past two opponents down the left before picking out Boquete with an angled ball back from the by-line.

The Spanish captain teed up Losada, lurking inside the 'D', from where she curled one which was destined for the top corner of the net. Diaz would not be denied, however, launching herself high to her right to turn the ball away in brilliant fashion - such was the spirit she and her team-mates had shown, they didn't deserve to be beaten.

And they weren't, although Spain twice came close before the finish. Pablos curled one inches past the far post after breaking clear on the right, while Borja shot straight at Diaz in stoppage time after another timely intervention from Saenz had thwarted Pablos in the act of shooting.

The game finished in somewhat bizarre circumstances, referee Di Iorio calling the action off seconds early after stopping play for the prone figure of Acosta to receive attention. A few Spanish players grizzled at her for blowing the final whistle before the minimum allotment of additional time had been reached, but in truth, given the chances they had already squandered, another goal in this match was always going to be beyond them.

Two points lost for Spain, most certainly, but Costa Rica richly deserved the point they earned from a courageous display in which the undoubted stars were Saenz and Diaz, whose eyes sparkled with pride in her post-match TV interview. Rightly so.

Spain: Tirapu; Jimenez (booked, 44) (Garcia, 63), Torrejon, Paredes, Landa; Losada, Boquete, Putellas; Pablos, Hermoso (Borja, 84), Bermudez (Corredera, 72)

Costa Rica: Diaz; Saenz, Sanchez, Acosta, Rodriguez; Cruz, Alvarado, Rodriguez Cedeno; Herrera (Guillen, 88), Venegas (Granados, 80), Barrantes (Villalobos, 74)

Referee: Salome Di Iorio (Argentina)

2015 Draw