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Norway Beats Costa Rica 1-0 in
Soccer
Frode Johnsen scored on a header
with 12 minutes remaining to
give Norway a 1-0 victory over
Costa Rica in an exhibition game
on Tuesday night.
Costa Rica was playing for the
first time since Alexandre
Guimaraes returned as coach. He
led the team during the 2002
World Cup.
Johnsen's goal came following a
long throw-in from Morten Gamst
Pedersen. Johnsen, left
virtually unmarked in front of
the goal, headed the ball past
goalkeeper Alvaro Mesen.
Costa Rica's best chance came
seven minutes in when Paolo
Wanchope's shot off a pass from
Jafeth Soto deflected off a
Norwegian and went just wide.
Costa Rica, which plays the
United States in a World Cup
qualifier at Salt Lake City on
June 4, is 1-1-1 in the final
round of the North and Central
American and Caribbean region,
three points behind Mexico
(2-0-1), two back of the United
States and even with Guatemala,
which it trails on goal
difference. Panama (0-1-2) is
fifth, and Trinidad and Tobago
(0-2-1) is last.
The top three nations qualify
for next year's World Cup, and
the No. 4 team advances to a
playoff against an Asian nation.
Norway, is second in Europe
Group Five at 2-1-2, four points
behind Italy, which plays in
Oslo on June 4.
Before the start of the match at
Ullevaal Stadium, a moment of
silence was observed by the
crowd of 21,251 for Whayne
Wilson, a 29-year-old Costa
Rican player killed a week ago
in a car crash in Costa Rica.
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