A penalty goal Jose Fajardo is enough for Panama will pass this Thursday as a lackluster guest Costa Rica in the first leg of the quarterfinals of League of Nations of Concacaf. A foul in the area by Colombian Millonarios defender Juan Pablo Vargas allowed Fajardo to score from a penalty in the 66th minute the only goal of a match Panama knew how to control in front of a small football that Costa was shown by coach Claudio Vivas of Argentina. Rica.
With this result, the Panamanians are getting closer to qualifying for the semifinals of the Nations League, but they have to secure their ticket next Monday at home in the second leg. On a rainy night and with a wet field at the National Stadium in San José, the first half was full of friction and battle in the midfield, with many fouls and little clarity to develop the game and create dangerous plays with both goals.
The two most favorable scoring plays in the first episode were for Costa Rica through a header from Juan Pablo Vargas and a cross shot from Warren Madrigal, to which Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera’s response could be expected.
From then on, the attack of the Costa Rican team disappeared due to the stability of the Panamanian defensive zone led by José Córdoba and Fidel Escobar, which did not leave room for the Costa Rican forwards Manfred Ugalde and Alonso Martínez, scorers for Spartak Moscow and New York City, respectively.
Lacking ideas in midfield, Costa Rica repeatedly fell against the rocky defensive wall of Spanish-Danish coach Thomas Christiansen’s Panama. Fajardo scored a penalty in the 66th after Vargas swept Carrasquilla at the edge of the area. The goal was proving the forward a few minutes before missed a very clear option in the six yard box.
Costa Rica tried to push in search of an equalizer with more desperation than football, but their attacks did not create any danger to Mosquera’s goal throughout the second half.
It was Costa Rica’s sixth straight loss against Panama and ninth in the last 11 games, a streak that contrasts with the dominance the Ticos have done over their neighbors in the past.
TECHNICAL SHEET
0 – Costa Rica: Patrick Sequeira; Jeyland Mitchell, Julio Cascante, Juan Pablo Vargas (Alexis Gamboa, m.75), Francisco Calvo; Jefferson Brenes (Alejandro Bran, m.69), Brandon Aguilera, Warren Madrigal, Kenneth Vargas (Andy Rojas, m.75); Manfred Ugalde and Alonso Martínez (Joel Campbell, d.69).
1 – Panama: Orlando Mosquera, Cesar Blackman, José Córdoba, Edgardo Fariña, Fidel Escobar, Michael Murillo; Cristian Martínez (Anibal Godoy, m.72), José Rodríguez (Kahiser Lenis, m.88), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Carlos Harvey, m.77); Edgar Bárcenas (César Yanis, m.88) and José Fajardo (Eduardo Guerrero, m.77).
Referee: the Honduran Said Martínez. He advised the Panamanians Fajardo, Córdoba, Mosquera and Carrasquilla; and the Costa Rican Mitchell.
Purpose: 0-1, Fajardo (m. 66)
Events: The first leg of the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Nations League was played at the National Stadium in San José in front of around 30,000 fans.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
