National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10302 (Terracing: 7727, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Giovanni Chavarria made the kick off which started today's match. Nino Jara received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 4th minute. Rory Steel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Donald Villegas had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 5th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Önder Wing in the 7th minute of play forced U21 Costa Rica's goalkeeper Lucas Loaiza to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the last second Lucas Loaiza throw himself and got hold of the ball when Önder Wing in the 9thth minute from his position got away a shot towards the right post. The supporters of U21 Costa Rica booed when U21 England was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 10 match minutes in a wonderful position. Archie Wadham didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 12th match minute, U21 England was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Adam Cornell to maneuver through the defense. In the 17th minute, Giovanni Chavarria got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. If Nino Jara had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 19th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Brian Pool kicked well hit freekick during the 21st minute of the match. In the 26th minute the ball was on its way in behind U21 England's goalkeeper Rory Steel, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The audience thought a goal was coming when Pedro Rundell got free with Lucas Loaiza in the 30th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After 31 minutes, Archie Wadham mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the U21 England and the U21 Costa Rica players grew even worse after the yellow card. Rory Steel took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Giovanni Chavarria, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The crowd rose to their feet as Pedro Rundell kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Lucas Loaiza. That made the score 1-0 in the 34 minute of play. The supporters of U21 England booed when U21 Costa Rica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 38 match minutes in a wonderful position. Donald Villegas didn't get a good kick on the ball. 40 minutes into the match, Randall Leal had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Rory Steel. U21 England's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Randall Leal was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. U21 Costa Rica's Lucas Loaiza played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Önder Wing in the 44th minute of play. U21 Costa Rica's defense didn't have a chance, in the 46th minute, when Önder Wing scored to the left of an out of position Lucas Loaiza, making the score, 2-1. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Önder Wing was the one to do the kick off. After 51 played minutes U21 England got a freekick which was hit by Iona Lightfoot. U21 Costa Rica were awarded a corner in the 54th minute after U21 England's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Randall Leal took the corner. The audience thought a goal was coming when Randall Leal got free with Rory Steel in the 56th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Lucas Loaiza showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Pedro Rundell in the 57th minute of the match. Lucas Loaiza took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Önder Wing, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Lucas Loaiza showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Önder Wing in the 60th minute of the match. 61 minutes into the match, U21 Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Ian Donnelly came free, but Lucas Loaiza reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lucas Loaiza made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Önder Wing in the 64th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Önder Wing in the 68th minute of play forced U21 Costa Rica's goalkeeper Lucas Loaiza to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nino Jara in the 70th minute of play forced U21 England's goalkeeper Rory Steel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 73 minutes into the match, U21 Costa Rica's goal looked a bit too open when Önder Wing came free, but Lucas Loaiza reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Lucas Loaiza showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Iona Lightfoot in the 77th minute of the match. Randall Leal recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 79th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The crowd rose to their feet as U21 Costa Rica's Nino Jara slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Rory Steel. That made the score 2-2 after 81 minutes of play. In the 93rd minute, Archie Wadham hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After recieving a nice pass, U21 Costa Rica's Randall Leal tried to score from far away in the 94th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Önder Wing fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 97th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Lucas Loaiza having to interfere. U21 Costa Rica were clearly unhappy with the draw, as they felt they had done enough to earn themselves a victory.