Costa Rica Sticking With Guns

• AP , Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3 PM

Costa Rica announced its squad for World Cup qualifying games in September against Mexico and El Salvador. The Ticos are sticking with the same core of players that has lifted the team to the top of the Concacaf regional qualifying group despite losing 4-0 at Honduras in its last qualifier. The squad includes midfield fixtures Walter Centeno and Celso Borges, startlet striker Bryan Ruiz, and New York Red Bulls defender Carlos Johnson.

After six of 10 qualifying games in the North and Central America and Caribbean region, Costa Rica leads the group with 12 points followed by the United States and Honduras (10), Mexico (9) and El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago (5). The top three teams advance automatically to next year's World Cup in South Africa. The No. 4 team faces a playoff with the No. 5 from South America for another berth. Costa Rica plays at home against Mexico on Sept. 5, and goes to El Salvador on Sept. 9. It is at home against Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 10 and plays at the United States on Oct. 14.

Goalkeepers -- Adrian de Lemos, Ricardo Gonzalez, Daniel Cambronero.
Defenders -- Michael Umana, Dario Delgado, Dennis Marshall, Jose Villalobos Chan, Heiner Mora, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Carlos Johnson, Pablo Herrera, Junior Diaz.
Midfielders -- Cristian Oviedo, Warren Granados, Walter Centeno, Armando Alonso, Esteban Sirias, Esteban Granados, Celso Borges, Cristian Bolanos (, Carlos Hernandez.
Forwards -- William Sunsing, Alejandro Sequeira, Alvaro Saborio, Froylan Ledezma, Bryan Ruiz.

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