For the second time in as many games today, a late goal snatched victory from a CONCACAF team and put their fortitude to the test. However, Costa Rica were able to rebound, winning the match in penalty kicks 5-3.
Costa Rica and Greece’s matchup, it must be said, was really the least-heralded of all these Round of 16 games. The Costa Ricans have been the darlings of this tournament, going undefeated in group play with their pressing, relentless style, while the Greeks squeaked through despite being shut out in two of their three group matches.
Befitting of Greece’s defensive style, the first half did not yield much in the way of chances for either side. The closest we came to a goal was on a shot from Greece’s Dimitris Salpigidis, who was denied by Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas:
The only other big event in the first half was a yellow card handed out to the Ticos’ Oscar Duarte, who was cautioned for this (necessary) foul near the top of the 18:
Greece opened the second half with some very uncharacteristic poor defense, and it cost them when they left Costa Rica’s Christian Bolaños with room to operate around the top of the 18. He waited patiently, then found teammate Brian Ruiz waiting at the top of the D, giving him a perfect pass that Ruiz one-timed into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead:
The game would change just 14 minutes later, though. Duarte would pick up his second yellow card for a very late sliding challenge, getting sent off and putting his team at a one-man disadvantage. Greece held the bulk of the play for the rest of the match, knocking on the door and hitting several near-misses. In stoppage time, the Greeks finally broke through when a rebound from Theofanis Gekas’s shot was put in by Sokratis Papastathopoulos:
Greece nearly won the match in regular time on this header by Kostas Mitroglou, but a brilliant save by Navas sent the game to extra time:
Both teams generated some decent chances in extra time, and with seconds to go Navas again kept his team alive with a brilliant stop:
Penalties seemed inevitable, and Costa Rica had to be happy to get there after playing for nearly an hour while a man down. In PKs, everybody made their shots until Navas again played the hero. He stopped Gekas' attempt-Greece's fourth-and after Michael Umana converted the final kick, the Ticos were through.
Costa Rica will next play the Netherlands, who won an equally thrilling match with Mexico earlier this afternoon. For Greece, just making the knockout stage was an unexpected accomplishment, and while that is an empty sentiment now, they can leave Brazil holding their heads high.
RELATED: Netherlands Stuns Mexico with Two Late Goals, Wins 2-1 (GIFs)
