Costa Rica pulled off the first shock of the 2014
World Cup with a richly deserved 3-1 Group D win over Uruguay in Fortaleza.
Having fallen behind to an Edinson Cavani penalty, Costa Rica hit back with
a powerful Joel Campbell shot and a brilliant stooping
header by Oscar Duarte.
Substitute Marcos Urena made it three with his first
contribution, prompting wild scenes on the Costa Rican bench.
And as Uruguay lost all semblance of
self-control, Maxi Pereira was sent off in stoppage time for a
wild hack.
Uruguay were missing Luis Suarez who warmed up extensively but did not
come off the bench - Suarez will surely start against England next Thursday, a match the South
Americans probably need to win to avoid an early exit.
While Suarez was missed, Uruguay
need to emerge from a collective malaise after a dismal second-half
performance, which confirmed why a side seemingly packed with talented players
almost failed to qualify for Brazil.
It should not detract from an
ambitious and incisive performance from a team who many imagined would be Group
D whipping boys. Instead Jose Luis Pinto's squad stand one more win away from a
place in the last 16 of the World Cup.
KEY MOMENTS
23' CAVANI PENALTY - Diego Lugano is wrestled to the turf and Edinson
Cavani steps up to fire the penalty home, giving him some redemption after he
missed an earlier sitter.
54' COSTA RICA DOUBLE WHAMMY - Costa Rica bag two quick goals to turn the game on its
head after Uruguay had been getting steadily worse. First Joel Campbell fires
home from a loose ball in the area before Oscar Duarte heads home a free-kick a
couple of minutes later.
83' COSTA RICA SEAL IT - The substitute Marcos Urena produces a gorgeous finish to
round off Campbell's pass and complete Costa Rica's victory. Uruguay were
expected to storm back into the game but they simply weren't in it.
90+3' PEREIRA RED CARD - Maxi Pereira lost the plot in the final minutes and hacked
out needlessly at Campbell to earn himself a sending off and a suspension.
Uruguay will find him hard hard to replace.
KEY STATS (via Opta)
Costa Rica scored more than twice in
a World Cup game for the first time (this was their 11th match overall).
Uruguay have been responsible for
two of the last three red cards at World Cups (Suarez vs Ghana
in 2010 & Maxi Pereira today).
Uruguay have conceded three goals in
each of their last three games at the World Cup.
TALKING POINT: Was this really so
big an upset?
Obviously Uruguay should have beaten
Costa Rica, and the Central Americans were magnificent, but is this Uruguay
team really that great? Luis Suarez and 2010 appeared to elevate them beyond
their abilities in the eyes of most people - they were terrible in
qualification and have a very mediocre team outside of their strikers.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Joel Campbell
(Costa Rica)
The Arsenal forward was everywhere in the game, creating and
scoring and generally running himself into the ground as his team pursued their
historic victory. If he can bring that form to the Premier League then it'll be
a no-brainer to get a recall to Arsenal. PLAYER RATINGS
Uruguay: Caceres 6, Pereira 5, Godin 6, Lugano 3, Pereira 4, Stuani 5, Arevalo 5, Gargano 5, Rodriguez 5, Cavani 5, Forlan 5. Subs: Lodeiro 6, Gonzalez 6, Hernandez 6.
Costa Rica: Navas 8, Diaz 7, Umana 7, Gonzalez 8, Gamboa 8, Duarte 8, Bolanos 6, Borges 7, Tejeda 7, Ruiz 7, Campbell 9
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