Guyana out of Olympic Qualifier
-lose 3-1 to Costa Rica
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
November 24, 2003
Midfielder Jonathan Peters (left) is still on his foot after surviving a slide tackle from a Costa Rican defender. (Photo by Lawrence Fanfair)
Guyana's Under-23 football team was officially booted from the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier after going down 3-1 to a more systematic Costa Rica at the Blairmont ground yesterday.
The result means that Guyana ended the second round losing by a 10-1 aggregate after being whipped 7-0 by Costa Rica in the first match of the home and away tie.
The match, watched by another packed house, was decided in the first half when all four the goals were scored.
Eric Scott, Alvero Sabario and Roy Myrie netted for the visitors while captain Shawn `Bubblely' Beveney had the distinction of being the only person so far in the tournament to score against the Costa Ricans.
The locals looked tentative throughout the encounter which resulted in the foreigners capitalising on mistakes two of which resulted in goals.
Defender Kelvin McKenzie (#16) and other team members run to congratulate his captain (second from left) after the latter equalised for Guyana in the 35th minute of the game. (Photo by Lawrence Fanfair)
The Costa Ricans quick and accurate passes caused much trouble for the local defence line and goalkeeper Fidel Smith was forced to pull of a few brilliant saves.
Guyana Football Federation Technical Director Neider Dos Santos said his side gave an improved performance compared to the first game against the Costa Ricans
"We played much better than before. Unfortunately the two last goals that Costa Rica scored today came from mistakes. I had told them that against professional teams we can't make such mistakes," Dos Santos said.
"We did pretty good. In the second half we had the ball much more than them." Scott fired his side into the lead in the 27th minute but Beveney equalised eight minutes later after receiving a pass from striker Devon Millington, to fire from just outside the 18-yard box.
Sabario and Myrie struck one minute apart netting goals in the 42nd and 43rd minutes to seal the issue for Costa Rica.
Costa Rican manager Frank Rojas opined that it was not the best performance from his charges. "This game was a little more difficult. There were to many trivial fouls," he said.
Costa Rica move on to the final stage of the competition in Mexico where they play Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the host nation.