Poland win 2-1 against Costa Rica in Group A

Poland came from behind with two set-piece goals to beat Costa Rica in Group A, Tuesday.

The result of the match gave Poland three points but they did not qualify for the next round of the Fifa World Cup as Ecuador had six and Germany nine. Costa Rica left the 2006 World Cup without a victory in three games.

Though the pace of the game was rather slow in the heat the outcome did seem to matter to the two teams who both wanted a World Cup win.

Referee Shamsul Maidin produced his yellow card ten times; five for each side, which was to that date the highest caution tally of the tournament.

Alexandre Guimaraes's Central Americans had the best start with a goal from a freekick. Ronald Gomez fired hard and low through the wall and it somehow went between an off-balanced Artur Boruc's legs.

Jose Porras in the Costa Rica goal then helped Poland to an equaliser. Porras missed at the near post a corner Maciej Zurawski clipped to the far post. Polish defender Bartosz Bosacki notched his first international goal off the underside of the crossbar.

Another set-piece in the second half led to the winner for Bosacki. Jacek Krzynowek delivered from another corner, again to Bosacki, who headed beyond Porras.

Statistics

Group A

Attendance: 43'000

Referee: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore)

Costa Rica

18 J Porras

02 J Drummond (Substituted: 70' H Wallace )

12 L Gonzalez 76'

04 M Umana 17'

03 L Marin 47'+

07 C Bolanos (Substituted: 78' A Saborio )

08 M Solis

10 W Centeno

17 G Badilla 56'

09 P Wanchope

11 R Gomez 47'+ (Substituted: 82' C Hernandez )

Poland

01 A Boruc 91'

04 M Baszczynski 60'

06 J Bak 24'

19 B Bosacki

14 M Zewlakow 29'

08 J Krzynowek

10 M Szymkowiak

15 E Smolarek (Substituted: 85' G Rasiak)

16 A Radomski 18' (Substituted: 64' M Lewandowski)

21 I Jelen

09 M Zurawski (Substituted: 45' P Brozek)

Table

TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGDGermany9330082+6Ecuador6320153+2Poland3310224−2Costa Rica0300339−6

Fifa World Cup Group A table June 20, 2006