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WORLD CUP SOCCER:
Costa Rica Hoping to Advance;
Sunday Friendly Against Ukraine
Costa Rica, Central America's
lone World Cup qualifier, drew
the unenviable task of playing
the opening match of the
tournament against host Germany.
Despite the cruel draw, the
Ticos remain hopeful of earning
a place in the second round.
Besides Germany, Poland and
Ecuador also are in Group A.
"I believe we are at the same
level with the other three,"
coach Alexandre Guimaraes said.
"We're not just thinking on
playing three matches and return
home, but also planning on the
ones that will come later. The
goal is to at least emulate what
we accomplished in Italy '90."
In that World Cup, Costa Rica
beat Scotland and Sweden and
advanced to the second round,
where it was eliminated by
Czechoslovakia.
Costa Rica will be playing in
the World Cup for the third
time, and Guimaraes will again
be a part of the action.
Guimaraes, who was born in
Brazil but is a nationalized
Costa Rican, played for his
adopted country during its first
trip to the World Cup in 1990.
Four years ago, he was the
coach.
Still coaching the team,
Guimaraes is hoping to catch his
rivals off-guard with a crop of
youngsters who will join nine
veterans from the last
tournament, when the Costa
Ricans failed to advance because
of goal difference.
While Germany and Poland will be
the tougher opponents, Costa
Rica is hoping for an easier
match against Ecuador, a team it
knows well after a series of
friendly matches.
The last time the teams met,
however, Ecuador won 2-1.
Sunday, the Ticos will play
another round of friendlies,
this time with the team from the
Ukraine. The game will be at
9:00am local time and broadcast
live on both Repretel (Channel
6) and Teletica (Channel 7) and
Radio Monumental.
Once the 2006 World Cup begins,
Repretel will have the exclusive
rights to broadcast all the
games in Costa Rica. Teletica
will be able to broadcast a
repeat of the games 24 hours
later and will be barred from
using any of the footage for
news or other promotional
material.
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