COSTA RICA BRINGS THE ROOF DOWN AS ITALY SHOW THEIR PEDIGREE!

Story by Patrick Kamanga (pgkamanga73@gmail.com)

COSTA RICA BRINGS THE ROOF DOWN AS ITALY SHOW THEIR PEDIGREE!

Carrying the tag as Group D underdogs and heavily tipped to be the groups’ whipping boys, Costa Rica had other ideas.

Well, they refused to politely knock on the “world cup door” and literally smashed their way into the Samba party with arguably the most entertaining game behind the Holland v Spain goal fest!

Costa Rica came from a goal down at half time, courtesy of Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani’s expertly taken penalty kick, to score 3 well executed goals in the second half to not only complete a famous comeback but also shred the form books in the Group D opener played at the Estadio Governado Placido in Fortazela.

The Central Americans matched the much fancied Uruguayans from a technical view point and eventually outplayed them with their boundless energy, hunger and discipline, upping their tempo in the second half to depose their South American cousins and reigning Copa America Champions. 

 

Costa Rica’s standout player was Arsenal loanee, Joel Campbell who gave the Uruguayan defense such a torrid time with his pace, spacial awareness and trickery that veteran Benfica defender Maxi Pereirra, finally fed up with Campbell’s uncontainable game viciously hacked him in injury time to earn a straight red card!

Another exceptional player on the Costa Rican team was Levante goalkeeper Neylor Navas who made several big saves to keep them in the game in the first half. He pulled off arguably the save of the tournament thus far, when awkwardly out of position, turned back and acrobatically dived mid air to tip the ball over the bar after Diego Forlan’s left foot volley took a wicked deflection off a defender’s foot in the 43^rd minute.

Overall, it was Uruguay’s big players that let them down. Diego Forlan, Edinson Cavani, Diego Gordin and Diego Lugano who all looked jaded. To sum their poor show, experienced goalkeeper Fernando Muslera needlessly came out of goal in no man’s land to gift Marcos Urena, who slotted Costa Rica’s third goal to kill off the game.

Perriera’s frustration and subsequent reckless challenge strongly suggests that Uruguay may have grossly under estimated Costa Rica and had a difficult time comprehending what was unfolding as the match progressed.

Reminiscent to Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque, Uruguayan tactician Oscar Washington Tabarez has relied largely on an aging core of players who peaked at the 2010 World Cup. They extended their rich vein of form into the 2012 Copa America in Argentina where they were the eventual winners. 
They have since faded and after a lackluster performance in the South American qualifiers, required the graces of the World cup playoffs where they beat Jordan to save their blushes and make it to the finals in Brazil.

With this win, Costa Rica threw a spanner in the works to top the group, throwing it wide open in the process!

 

In the other Group D match, Italy produced yet another tactical master class to contain a strong England team. 
England’s offensive strength was never in doubt with Daniel Sturridge leading the line backed by Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling at the Arena Da Amazonia in Manaus.

Fielding a largely youthful side, Italy’s new comers exhibited such composure and self assuredness which belied their experience to calmly ease past the Three Lions in the second half after Sturridge had cancelled Marchisio’s volleyed goal towards the end of the opening half.

Condreva, Perolla, and Ciro Immobille all impressed spearheaded by the mercurial Ballotelli as as Italy's motte like defensive formation withstood a siege by England in the second half.

England’s undoing was their defense with Leighton Baines being made to rue a momentary lapse in the second half which provided Condreva the space and time to pick out Ballotelli in the box beyond the central defending pair of Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka to head in Italy’s second.

Rooney looked lost for most of the second half with England chasing the game and looked awkwardly out of position. He fluffed and miscued two golden opportunities to tie the score in the second half.

With Wayne Rooney England's most experienced and dangerous forward, coach Roy Hodgson needs to make a brave decision and go with the valiant Rooney as his outright striker with Daniel Sturridge coming off the left, Sterling off the right and Ross Barkley in the deep pocket behind whose direct and unpredictable runs in support would have paid dividends sooner.

England should not despair at the narrow lose but should take heart as this show by their gallant young team which heralds a generational change and new era that gives great promise.