A fiery encounter saw special guests Costa Rica get back in contention on Thursday for a place in the Copa America quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over nine-man Bolivia.
Bolivia’s ability to snatch a point from hosts Argentina in their opener had thrown Group A wide open and with Colombia also drawing with Argentina they had gone top of the group with four points on Wednesday.
However, Josue Martinez and Joel Campbell’s goals midway through the second half brought the Ticos back into the equation after they had started off with a 1-0 loss to Colombia.
Photo: AFP
It could have been an even more clear-cut victory, but Bolivia ’keeper Carlos Arias saved a 71st-minute spot-kick from Allen Guevara.
Campbell, who is just 18 years old, said that he was delighted with the team’s overall performance, which he capped with a rasping drive after also being involved in the move which led to Martinez’s opener on the rebound.
“We could have had three, four, even five goals,” he said.
Photo: Reuters
The fleet-footed Central Americans posed their Andean rivals problems throughout and Bolivia resorted to some meaty challenges which earned them a string of yellow cards before they finished with nine men after red cards were flashed at Ronald Rivero and Walter Flores in quick succession.
Rivero went for a handball which resulted in the penalty-kick and Flores followed with a straight red for an over-the-top challenge.
Costa Rica will now hope to snatch a point off struggling Argentina in their final game in their bid to get a result that would likely secure a quarter-final berth.
However, with luck, their three points could yet be enough to land them a place as one of the two best third-placed teams at the event.
Bolivia, whose sole title came more than 40 years ago on home soil, must for their part go all out to beat Colombia in their final game.
With the match played in the northern city of Jujuy, the encounter was almost a home match for Bolivia.
However, they had no answer to Costa Rica’s smart attacking play.
“This goes a long way to making up for losing by a goal to Colombia in the same stadium,” Campbell insisted.
Bolivia striker Marcelo Moreno Martins meanwhile urged his teammates to bounce back against Colombia.
“We have to go into that one with our heads held high and we know we can still qualify,” Martins said.
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