RECIFE, Brazil – Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto said the sky's the limit after the Central Americans claimed their second major scalp of the World Cup on Friday to secure their place in the last 16 for only the second time.
Júnior Díaz set Bryan Ruiz up with an excellent cross. The team captain headed the ball past Italy's keeper, clanging it off the crossbar and just barely across the goal line at the 44th minute. That's all the Ticos would need. Costa Rica closed out Italy in a 1-0 victory.
A sea of red jerseys and Costa Rican flags inundated the main streets and avenues of the country's capital – and across the nation – on Friday following Costa Rica's incredible advancement to the next round of the World Cup Brazil 2014 after beating Italy 1-0.
SÃO PAULO – Jozy Altidore has been ruled out of the U.S. national team's World Cup match against Portugal on Sunday because of a strained left hamstring, a long-anticipated announcement made by the U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday.
Assistant coach Paulo Wanchope on Monday said Costa Rica have more surprises in store for heavyweights Italy and England after their shock defeat of Uruguay.
NATAL, Brazil — The U.S. national soccer team waited four years for this moment, to measure progress since the last World Cup, to avenge losses against a two-time nemesis and to implement Jurgen Klinsmann's grand plan.
