Mexicans float into gold cup final

MEXICO CITY: Rafael Marquez floated in a 45-metre strike on Thursday to give Mexico a 2-0 win over Costa Rica and secure a CONCACAF Gold Cup football finals berth. Mexico will play Brazil in the final on tomorrow. Brazil advanced on Wednesday with a 2-1 overtime victory against the United States in Miami. Because Brazil are invited guests to this tournament, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean, Thursday’s win earned Mexico a berth in the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany. A crowd of 35,000 braved a driving rain at the 105,000-seat Aztec Stadium to see Mexico beat Costa Rica for the first time in a decade. Costa Rica earned a shocking 2-1 victory over Mexico in the qualifying rounds for the 2002 World Cup.

Marquez’s improbable goal came in the 18th minute of the match that marked the defender’s first international appearance since he signed this month with Spanish super-club Barcelona. “The goal surprised me, like everyone else,” Marquez said. “It was a pass with a lot of luck and it surprised the Costa Rican goalkeeper.” Jared Borgetti gave Mexico a 2-0 lead nine minutes later. The goal followed a powerful free kick from midfielder Rafael Garcia that Costa Rican goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez deflected into the centre of the penalty area. Costa Rica’s best scoring chance came in the 24th minute when forward Winston Parks fired a shot that Oswaldo Sanchez managed to stop with a fine save. “The first goal against us took the wind out of our sails,” Costa Rica coach Steve Sampson said. “I think it’s disappointing because at that point the game was very even.” Sanchez has yet to give up a goal in the tournament, which features nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean. Mexico topped Brazil 1-0 and battled Honduras to a scoreless tie in the opening round, before routing Jamaica 5-0 in the quarterfinals. “We are going to show Brazil how much we have progressed,” Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe said.