Knockout spot for Ecuador
15 Jun 2006 - 16:49:50
Ecuador sailed into the knockout stages at the World Cup finals with comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica in Hamburg.
The result means that Ecuador now lead Group A on goal difference and, as against Poland, they well deserved their win.
But it was Costa Rica who took control during the opening minutes of the match and Walter Centeno hit a shot just wide of the Ecuador goal in the second minute.
However, despite the Costa Ricans early possession it was Ecuador who opened the scoring six minutes later.
Ecuador won a free-kick in the Costa Rican half and the ball was worked out wide. A wicked cross was then whipped into the six-yard-box and Carlos Tenorio planted a close range-header past Jose Porras.
From that point on Ecuador were in control of the game and could have doubled their lead minutes later, but Edison Mendez's long-range effort was deflected wide for a corner.
As the half wore on, Costa Rica were starting to get back into the game and gain more possession, but Ecuador's defence was solid and they closed down the Costa Ricans quickly and in numbers.
Ecuador should have chalked up their second goal of the game right on half-time when Mendez struck a low ball into the six-yard-box.
The ball fell to Delgado, but the striker hesitated and his weak touch rolled wide without troubling the keeper.
But Delgado did show a more positive touch nine minutes into the second half as he netted Ecuador's second goal of the game.
Some neat interplay with Mendez in the Costa Rican area saw the ball sit up nicely on the corner of the six-yard-box and Delgado smashed a near-post volley past Porras.
Costa Rica tried to get back into the game but every attack was met by a wall of yellow shirts and they were reduced to taking long shots that never really troubled Cristian Mora in the Ecuador goal.
They did almost pull one back in the 87th minute when good work from substitute Kurt Bernard set up fellow sub Alvaro Saborio, but his shot looped up over Mora and bounced off the crossbar.
Ecuador then wrapped things up in stoppage time as the move of the match saw Ivan Kaviedes net the third goal of the game.
Delgado tricked his way past his marker on the halfway line and he fed the ball out wide to Mendez, whose curling cross was met by Kaviedes, who volleyed the ball past Porras.