Jun 29

Costa Rica Edges Greece In Penalty Shootout To Continue World Cup Dream Run (VIDEO)

Posted in: Today's Chili

There always seems to be enough time for heartbreak at the 2014 World Cup. Occasionally, there is enough time for two teams to have their hearts broken in the same game.

Costa Rica overcame a late equalizer from Greece in second-half stoppage time and ultimately prevailed 5-3 in penalty shootout in a Round of 16 clash at Arena Pernambuco in Recife on Sunday. The first seven players to step to the penalty spot in the shootout had all scored when Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas denied Greece striker Theofanis Gekas with a diving save. With a chance to send his team into the quarterfinals for the first time, Costa Rica defender Michael Umana followed the save by scoring the decisive kick.

The Ticos were leading 1-0 and on the verge of securing a spot in the quarterfinals when Greece’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos forced extra time with a goal in the 91st minute. At that point, Costa Rica, playing with just 10 men since the 66th minute when defender Oscar Duarte picked up second yellow card in the match, seemed to have squandered its chance of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time at a World Cup.

By the time that Umana’s powerful penalty shot went past Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis to seal the win, the heartbreak had switched to the other side. Instead of Costa Rica lamenting its inability to close out the game in stoppage time at the end of the second half, Greece was left regretting its inability to capitalize on its man advantage in the 30 minutes of extra time.

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