The Mexican team beat Costa Rica 0-2 this Monday in a match in the second round of Group B of the Concacaf Pre-Olympic that takes place in Puebla and was close to qualifying for the next round.
The winning goals were scored by Hugo Camberos, from a penalty, and Santiago Sandoval. With the victory, Mexico reached six points at the top of zone B and Costa Rica was left with three points.
The contenders got involved in a fast-paced match, with intense fighting in the midfield and multiple fouls, which prevented them from getting into a good rhythm of the game.
In the midst of that blocked exchange, Costa Rica had the first danger in the 19th minute in a series of rebounds inside the area that Matías Cordero concluded with a powerful left-footed shot that was saved by Sebastián Liceaga.
The team led by coach Alex Diego took a 0-1 lead thanks to a penalty for a foul on Santiago Sandoval, which Hugo Camberos executed perfectly in the 42nd minute.
During the first period, the fans gathered at the Cuauhtémoc stadium shouted homophobic chants three times, for which the Mexican Football Federation has been sanctioned repeatedly.
At the beginning of the second half, the rough play continued with a tackle from Liceaga against Gabriel Sibaja, in an attempted clearance outside the area, an action for which the Mexican goalkeeper was sent off.
It seemed that the best moment was coming for the Costa Ricans to have one more man, but in a counterattack, Inda pumped a ball at the entrance to the Sandoval area, who finished far away, with everything and a deflection by Brenes, from O'Rourke's stretch at 59 to make it 0-2. Costa Rica tried to react, but lacked offensive depth.
