They had been outscored 3-0. They had been outshot 12-1. And for a nightmarish first half a the Women’s World Cup, each ball appeared to search out the mistaken foot.
Costa Rica had a tough displaying to begin its Women’s World Cup effort, dropping 3-0 to Spain on a chilly and wet Friday night time. About the perfect factor to remove for Las Ticas was they didn’t give up.
In the twenty second minute, a Spanish cross bounced off the leg of Costa Rica’s Valeria Del Campo and into her personal internet.
Within six minutes of Del Campo’s error, Spain’s Atiana Bonmati and Esther González every scored. The match was out of attain earlier than the half-hour mark.
“We lost a bit of concentration because of (the own goal) for about 12 minutes,” head coach Amelia Valverde mentioned after the sport. “The whole team lost concentration.”
Las Ticas protection appeared merely overwhelmed, whereas star ahead Raquel Rodriguez spent the match on the bench.
Rodriguez, who has scored 55 objectives in 100 appearances for her nation, missed the match with an unspecified harm. Valverdes mentioned that she hopes Rodriguez can return for the subsequent match towards Japan.
Costa Rica was supported by Subite al Chunche, a fan group that has traveled to 4 males’s World Cups, and have now ventured to New Zealand for his or her first Women’s World Cup.
“Today we are going to beat Spain and change history,” Carme Salleras, a Spanish-born soccer fan who immigrated to Costa Rica predicted earlier than the sport. Salleras and the rising crowd round her remained constructive about their group, regardless of trailing by three objectives at halftime. “There’s still 45 minutes left, so everything can happen.”
No such luck.
Costa Rica performed with extra grit within the second half, faced-down a Spanish assault that saved urgent till the top and goalkeeper Daniela Solera got here up with 10 saves. But getting out of Group C, which additionally consists of Japan and Zambia, now seems to be loads harder.