Challenge

Estadio Nacional
Spectators: 44 (Terracing: 34, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) Costa Rica's Axel Tasis started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. In the 5th minute, Juan Rubio hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 14 minutes into the match, Roberto Cabañas notched a goal, 0-1, to the right of Costa Rica's Benito Sanz. Benito Sanz was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After a defensive mix-up in Costa Rica's zone, Amadeo Tristan stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Benito Sanz came out of the goal and Amadeo Tristan tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Real Suciedad were awarded a corner in the 31th minute after Costa Rica's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Ezequiel Berdaitz took the corner. Ezequiel Berdaitz made a great header on Real Suciedad's corner, it was just that Costa Rica's Benito Sanz managed to reach the ball for a save. If Roberto Elazar had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 33rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Cyryl Skonieczny made an important save on a dangerous shot by Axel Tasis in the 35th minute. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Amadeo Tristan in the 36th minute of play. Roberto Cabañas took the ball and in the 38 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Benito Sanz. Benito Sanz dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-2. Axel Tasis's late challenge caught a Real Suciedad's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Axel Tasis helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Real Suciedad booed when Costa Rica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 41 match minutes in a wonderful position. Axel Tasis didn't get a good kick on the ball. Efrain Moruga charged in rather forcefully in the 45th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Efrain Moruga the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Real Suciedad booed when Costa Rica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 45 match minutes in a wonderful position. Efrain Moruga didn't get a good kick on the ball. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-2.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Amadeo Tristan stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Roberto Cabañas ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Benito Sanz was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-3. After 56 played minutes Costa Rica got a freekick which was hit by Efrain Moruga. In the 59th minute, Roberto Cabañas reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Benito Sanz. The goal made the score 0-4. Costa Rica's Lautaro Puig pulled a muscle in his leg after 62 minutes and couldn't finish the game. After 62 minutes, Lucian Drăgan mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Real Suciedad and the Costa Rica players grew even worse after the yellow card. Costa Rica's Alfredo Zoido was substituted for Lautaro Puig. After a rather tough play, Real Suciedad's Lucian Drăgan got a free kick in the 63rd minute. Benito Sanz was out of position in the 71 minute of play, and Roberto Cabañas capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Roberto Cabañas really showed his touch with that goal: 0-5. Benito Sanz made a fantastic save in the 74th minute, when Roberto Cabañas sent off a good shot on target. Costa Rica's Benito Sanz proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 79th minute of the match, managed to save Costa Rica from getting a goal against them. After some fancy dribbling in the 83rd minute, Amadeo Tristan managed to get in a good position for a shot. Real Suciedad's supporters rose to their feet, but Amadeo Tristan was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Benito Sanz breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 85 minutes into the match, Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Amadeo Tristan came free, but Benito Sanz reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When the match had gone on for 86 minutes, Roberto Cabañas took a quick shot and it went in 0-7 without a chance for Benito Sanz to make any attempt to save it. Costa Rica's Alfredo Zoido got a good chance for a goal in the 89th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Ezequiel Berdaitz kicked well hit freekick during the 91st minute of the match. Real Suciedad's players went to the stands to thank the travelling support. The fan's backing had helped spurr the team on to a fine performance that won them the match.