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Uruguay and Costa Rica Vie For Last Finals
Berth
The long road to qualifying for next year's
World Cup will finally come to an end
tomorrow, Wednesday, when Uruguay and Costa
Rica face off for the 32nd and last spot in
South Africa.
The second leg match between the fifth
placed South American team and fourth place
CONCACAF side will mark the end of a
qualifying phase that has lasted over two
years.
For the winner, the long journey will have
been worth it, but for the loser, another
four years awaits them for their next
chance.
It is a situation Uruguay are used to. The
former two-time champions were also involved
in the final playoffs for the 2002 and 2006
World Cups.
"We're used to suffering, to winning in the
final minutes, so once again we're going to
have to go to the stadium with the same
obstinacy," Uruguay midfielder Diego Perez
told a news conference on Monday.
Uruguay have enjoyed mixed fortunes in their
last two playoffs, both against Australia.
They made it through to the 2002 World Cup
but lost a penalty shootout to the Socceroos
four years later.
They are in the box seat to qualify again
this time after beating Costa Rica 1-0 in
San José in Saturday's opening leg after
their captain Diego Lugano scored the only
goal.
"It's been more than two years of a very
hard elimination series, there are two days
and 90 minutes to go," Lugano said.
"We can't let this opportunity escape us. On
Wednesday we have to give the (Uruguayan)
people happiness."
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