The Portland Timbers’ first signing since hiring Giovanni Savarese as head coach is Costa Rican central defender Julio Cascante. The Timbers used Targeted Allocation Moneyto complete the transfer from Saprissa. Cascante, 24, is the third Tico the Timbers have signed in the last 12 months after David Guzman and Roy Miller, also acquired fromSaprissa. Cascante […]
costa rica
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Greg Vanney is named Concacaf men's Coach of the Year
Greg Vanney needs a bit more room in his trophy case. On Tuesday CONCACAF named him its Men’s Coach of the Year. The Toronto FC mentor had already won honors as MLS Coachof the Year for a record-breaking season that included the Supporters’ Shield, Canadian Championship and MLS Cup titles. Vanney, 43, was guiding TFC’s […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Paulo Wanchope on 'secret' to Costa Rican success, why kids should play multiple sports, and USA's qualifying failure
Perhaps the most intriguing USA rival is Costa Rica, which beat the USA twice in 2018 World Cup qualifying – and is heading to Russia, while the USA is not. Costa Rica is the only Concacafnation besides Mexico that has a winning record over the USA. But unlike Mexico, which is the third largest nation […]
Posted inAround The Net in Soccer World Daily, Story
MLS calendar complicates World Cup for Costa Rica's 'legionarios'
Costa Rica could have as many as eight players on its World Cup team from MLS but the long winter offseason is a concern for the Tico coaching staff. Three players — Johan Venegas,Francisco Calvo and Marco Urena — have already finished their seasons and won’t play another competitive game for four months.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Hexagonal: Costa Rica clinches thanks to stoppage-time equalizer
Costa Rica clinched the second berth in the 2018 World Cup from Concacaf thanks to a stoppage-time goal from the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Kendall Waston that gave the Ticos a 1-1 tie withHonduras. That result assured the USA of all but mathematically clinching third place on Tuesday with a win or tie at Trinidad & Tobago. […]
Posted inAround The Net in Soccer World Daily, Story
Costa Rica-Honduras match threatened by Tropical Storm Nate
Costa Rican authorities say police may not be able to provide security for Friday’s Costa Rica-Honduras World Cup qualifier because of other duties related to providing safety to the public impactedby Tropical Storm Nate. The Costa Rica federation denied knowledge of the report, but later in the days the Honduran federation secretary general tweeted that […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Revived Honduras anxious to turn tables on reeling U.S.
In the Hexagonal, there are three teams with three matches remaining that can realistically finish third and avoid a do-or-die playoff against an Asian team in November. Honduras pulled itself into a third-place tie with the U.S. Friday in familiar fashion: goals by players with MLS ties. Former Dynamo; Alexander Lopezand current member Alberth Elis scored the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Bryan Ruiz
“We felt very, very comfortable today. This stadium also fits us well. We also beat the U.S. here in a friendly [in 2015]. This game showed us that the stadium fits us well.” — Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz after the Ticos beat the USA, 2-0, before sell-out crowd of 26,500 that included a lot more […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
By the Numbers: Historic loss shakes up Hex
The USA’s 2-0 loss to Costa Rica gave the Ticos a series sweep in the Hexagonal, the first time a team has ever done that to the USA. 1. Costa Rica is the first team to ever sweep its two-game series with the USA in the Hexagonal. 2. The USA hasn’t lost two games at […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Arena: 'They out-played us and out-coached us'
Costa Rica’s 2-0 win left the USA back in the pack with Honduras and Panama fighting for the third automatic berth from Concacaf in the 2018 World Cup, and U.S. coach Bruce Arena wasn’t afraidto say who was at fault. “We obviously didn’t play well on the night,” Arena said. “We didn’t make any plays […]