Mercy killing ends in draw for Bze.-Costa Rica Game

It might have been something of a forgone conclusion but football fans still got a chance to see professional plays in last night’s international game against Costa Rica. Sports Reporter James Adderley has highlights of the match up.

James Adderley, Reporting
Game two of the 2006 CONCACAF football series between Puntarenas F.C. of Costa Rica and Hankook Verdes of Belize was staged before a massive crowd inside the Norman Broaster Stadium last night.

Puntarenas might have won their home game in a 5-zip blast, but tonight the home team Verdes is being paced by the rhythm of the drums.

Nevertheless, the opening moments is fraught with danger for Verdes as highlighted by this push that almost gives Costa Rica the early lead.

It?s more pressure from the visitors when this header screams over the crossbar of the goal defended by Jaime Brooks.

Folks Belize?s first chance at goal comes on this open look in a one on one situation putting Anthony Gonzalez against the visiting Belizean Shane Orio. And for sure Gonz will not be happy with this play.

But don?t despair the next possession for Belize finds Marlon Mesa hooking up with a cutting Derys Benavides. And he picks the far corner, the fortuitous bounces over Orio gives Belize its first goal of the series, and a 1-zip lead fourteen minutes in.

Puntarenas reacts immediately and think they have the reply right here until Jose Lara digs it out of the goal.

However, the visitors will not be denied, this powerful punch from the midfield by Rodolfo Arnaes ties the ballgame after only two minutes in the hole for Costa Rica.

In the meantime folks, Jaime Brooks keeps taking care of business in goal. And at half we have a 1-1 ballgame.

Folks after intermission the need for constant defensive plays by Hankook Verdes continues unabated.

On this press a golden opportunity is squandered by Hankook Verdes as Gonzalez fails to get the press through the defence to Albert Vasquez.

Talk about luck people Jaime Brooks dodges a bullet off this corner kick as the header bounces off the crossbar.

Folks in the end neither team did enough to deserve the win as the ballgame concluded in a 1-1 score. Definitely we will take that result, so Belize?s exits in a 6-0 aggregate.

James Adderley
?Jaime it was definitely a hard ballgame, but that goal that caught you in the first half after Belize was up one nil was certainly unexpected??

Jaime Brooks, Goalkeeper, Hankook Verdes
?Yes it was a good shot. I couldn?t do anything about it because I saw it late. It knocked off the post and went in. I tried but I couldn?t get it.?

James Adderley
?What do you think about the performance of your team tonight??

Jaime Brooks
?Well when my team really needed they stepped up to the game, and played their game.?

James Adderley
?So after losing an aggregate 6-0 to Puntarenas where does Hankook Verdes go from here??

Jaime Brooks
?Well we have a whole season to play yet, and we can be right back here next season. So we will try and win this season here.?

Derys Benavides, Hankook Verdes
?Like my other team mates I fought hard to make Belize proud. Unfortunately, we were unable to maintain the lead after I scored my goal. We tried hard to give Belize a victory, but we were playing against an excellent team. We started out strong and had several opportunities to score early, but after that we began to play at a slower pace. Maybe we became tired, but credit must be given to our opposing team who pressured us at every opportunity they had.?

Puntarenas moves on in this CONCACAF competition, and we must tell out homeboy Shane Orio as he progresses… keep the dream alive.

This is James Adderley reporting for News Five.