Source: CONCACAF

A disappointing draw between the National Football Teams of Costa Rica and El Salvador is casting serious doubts about the ability of La Sele to advance to the quarter final stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is being jointly hosted in Canada and the United States.

During the first half of the match, Costa Rica struggled to control the ball and made a couple of defensive mistakes that forced goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado to fly and save what seemed to be goals by El Salvador. Even offensive stars such as Alvaro Saborio, Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell found it difficult to create plays that would tilt the scoreboard in favor of Costa Rica.

The second half got started with solid control by the midfield and forward lines of Costa Rica. The Ticos virtually spent twenty minutes parked in front of the box defended by the scrappy players from El Salvador, who at one point rallied all eleven players into their own half of the pitch as they scrambled to move forward a few meters.

The first goal of the match was masterfully scored by Bryan Ruiz after a series of incursions into the box. Costa Rica still controlled the actions after the goal, but then coach Paulo Cesar Wanchope decided to substitute a defender for Saborio and apply the catenaccio defense too soon. By parking the bus early, Costa Rica gave El Salvador breathing room to launch a couple of attacks.

During a winger advance by El Salvador, Bryan Ruiz dropped back to mark a player, and this move resulted in a highly questionable free kick since Ruiz was not even close to his rival. That free kick, however, tied the score at the last minute with a high cross that was not challenged by the defense.

The National Football Team of Costa Rica has not won a single match in at least seven months, and Tico fans are worried about the next match against Canada in Toronto, where La Sele is now forced to win to stay in a tournament that they are supposed to win.