Montevideo, Uruguay was the site of raucous celebrations as the Charruas drew the Ticos at the Centenario but thanks to their away win at Estadio Saprissa on November 14th clinched passage to the 2010 World Cup on goal aggregate.

Sebastian Abreu lost his markers after Diego Scotti centered his cross, to head the ball home past Keylor Navas to put the Uruguayans ahead but the Ticos equalized minutes later with Fernando Muslera diving to the left to get a hand on Alvaro Saborio's shot but unable in the end to keep it out of the back of the net.

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The World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950 became the last team to qualify for South Africa 2010 thanks to a draw with Costa Rica at the Centenario in Montevideo. Substitute Sebastian Abreu - who plays for Aris Salonika in Greece -Â put the hosts ahead 70 minutes but Costa Rica equalised when Deportivo Saprissa's Walter Centeno scored four minutes later.

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Jogaram em San Jose, no Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, pela repescagem americana para a copa, as seleções do Costa Rica (43º no ranking da FIFA) e a seleção do Uruguai (25º no ranking da FIFA).
Antes desse jogo, as 2 seleções jogaram:
04-02-1990 – Uruguai 2x0 Costa Rica (Amistoso)
14-05-1991 – Costa Rica 0x1 Uruguai (Amistoso)
02-08-1992 – Uruguai 2x1 Costa Rica (Amistoso)
18-08-1999 – Uruguai 5x4 Costa Rica (Amistoso)
16-07-2001 – Uruguai 1x1 Costa Rica (Copa América)
22-07-2001 – Costa Rica 1x2 Uruguai (Copa América)
O quarteto de arbitragem desse jogo, foi assim definido:
Referee: Alberto UNDIANO (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Fermin MARTINEZ (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Carlos YUSTE JIMENEZ (ESP)
Fourth official: Carlos CLOS GOMEZ (ESP)
Aos 21 minutos do primeiro tempo, Diego LUGANO, fez o único gol do Uruguai no jogo. Click to continue reading...

The fourth-place CONCACAF team versus the fifth-place CONMEBOL team for the final World Cup Qualifying slot in the region, and Uruguay takes the game-one advantage. Diego Alfredo Lugano scored in the 21st-minute at Saprissa Stadium. Uruguay keeper Nestor Fernando Muslera picked up the shutout on three saves. Click to continue reading...

VS.
The drama of World Cup qualifying reaches its apex in the next 7 days as the final spots for South Africa 2010 will be set. Nations will be paralyzed as their teams fight for footballing glory. The CONCACAF vs. CONMEBOL playoff features Los Ticos of Costa Rica vs. Click to continue reading...

VS.

The drama of World Cup qualifying reaches its apex in the next 7 days as the final spots for South Africa 2010 will be set. Nations will be paralyzed as their teams fight for footballing glory. The CONCACAF vs. CONMEBOL playoff features Los Ticos of Costa Rica vs.

Click to continue reading...

Uruguay's national team is now in Costa Rica, and they've had their one (and only) training session on the artificial surface at Saprissa. (I had thought that FIFA regulations required at least two training sessions on artificial turf, but I could be wrong.) Óscar Washington Tabárez, Uruguay's coach, almost certainly has his starting XI ready, with the only doubt being Walter Gargano. Click to continue reading...

By NESTOR F. SEBASTIAN

It's been all business in the Uruguayan and Costa Rican camps this week, ahead of their first-leg playoff match at San Jose's Saprissa stadium, with no bulletin-board material or off-key quotes to rile each other up.

Instead, it's generally been a pleasant environment for players, media corps and managers, both of whom have praised each other's squad's games and achievements but have also divulged very little information on their respective teams' workouts.

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To the surprise of no one, the first leg of the CONCACAF/CONMEBOL playoff in Saprissa has officially sold out. Tickets were sold in approximately two days at spots all over the country. I would have been shocked if there hadn't been a sellout. Click to continue reading...

QUESTION ON MY MIND
Who is going to MLS Cup in Seattle? I am. Let me know if you are.
STARTERS
Chicago needs a result tonight to guarantee their spot in this years MLS playoffs. Click to continue reading...

Mexican outfit Cruz Azul continue their fine Champions League form with this win in Costa Rica.

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Hoy dos de nuestros cuatro equipos que participan en la concachampions tuvieron acción:

El Toluca recibió en el Nemesio Diez al equipo estadounidense DC United. Aunque el partido terminó empatado a un gol, los Diablos Rojos del Toluca conquistaron la primera posición del Grupo B de la Liga de Campeones de la Concacaaf.

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The CONCACAF Champions League began its final week of group stage matches on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. Toluca faced DC United, the Columbus Crew traveled to play the Puerto Rico Islanders, and Cruz Azul faced Saprissa. Here's a recap of these matches along with video highlights.

Toluca draws with DC United 1-1 Video Highlights

DC United took an early lead with a great shot from Christ Pontius in the 5th minute but conceded a penalty as the two teams played to a draw.

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Two must-win games are on the slate tonight for MLS teams still involved in the CONCACAF Champions League. D.C. United is in Mexico, and takes on Toluca down in Mexico (8pm, FSC/Telefutura). Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, the Crew are out to ensure their passage to the third round (2am, FSC).

It's been a dramatic turnaround for the Black-and-Red in Group B.

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The United States won the Hexagonal with twenty points, while Mexico gave the best accounting in the second half of the competition, gaining 13 points out of a possible 15 after August. Honduras qualifies for the first time since 1982 (When the World Cup was a 24 team competition), and Costa Rica can feel hard done with 16 points yet being forced into a playoff with Uruguay.

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Well, Costa Rica, you just got owned by Jonathan Bornstein. Marinate on that for the next four years. Maybe that's karmic readjustment for playing your home games at Saprissa on artificial turf. Either way, that is about as sour a result as you could possibly have in the final minute of an intentional soccer game. Click to continue reading...

Update: Reader Dr. Chuck Pearson left a comment pointing me to the missing game. The Crew lost 2-0 to Saprissa in the one and only edition of the CONCACAF Giants Cup in 2001.
Last night the Columbus Crew became the first MLS team to beat CD Saprissa in Costa Rica. Soccer By Ives is reporting that it's the first time in seven tries for an MLS club, but I can only find six games at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa:
9/16/09 Saprissa 0, Crew 1
10/9/08 Saprissa 2, DC United 2
3/12/08 Saprissa 3, Houston 0
3/8/06 Saprissa 3, LA Galaxy 2
3/16/05 Saprissa 2, KC Wizards 1
4/14/04 Saprissa 2, Chicago 0
I think SBI might be mistaken, but if anyone can find the missing result, post a comment. Click to continue reading...

With one round to go in the group stage, all three remaining MLS teams still have a chance to advance. In my eyes, one is a shoe-in, one is a tossup and one needs a well-placed outbreak of swine flu among their rivals to advance.
Houston
Houston is currently in third place, but they hold the tiebreaker with Arabe Unido. Click to continue reading...

With J Hutcherson -- A little over a day left, and is there really much of anything else that can be added to the build for USA - Honduras? Crucial for both teams. Broader political implications for the host country. US fans made to work to even see the game. Last chance for the home fans to put the Estadio Olimpico in the same sentence as Saprissa and Azteca. Click to continue reading...

Honduras can qualify for its first world cup in 28 years
Matchdays 9 and 10 are upon us here in our little corner of the world. I've knocked about a good number of proverbs and clichés to sum up what we have seen so far in the previous 8 matchdays. I've landed on "it's not how you start, but how you finish. Click to continue reading...

Dos Santos and Blanco have been instrumental in Mexico's resurgence
Sven Goran Ericksson left Mexico in worse shape than he found it after a 3-1 defeat to Honduras earlier this year. The coach that Chivas owner, Jorge Vergara, brought in amidst a flurry of fanfare didn't even get a ride to the airport on his way out of town, albeit with a hefty little buyout in his bank account. Click to continue reading...

                                                                         Photo by ISIphotos.com

With the roster now selected, it is time to consider the options U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has when selecting his starting lineup in next weekend's World Cup qualifier vs.

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                                                                         Photo by ISIphotos.com

With the roster now selected, it is time to consider the options U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has when selecting his starting lineup in next weekend's World Cup qualifier vs.

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Another week of former Wizards updates. The USL playoffs are inn full swing right now. Still looking for a few former Wizards still, and since Carlos Marinelli hasn't even appeared for Argentinos Juniors at all, I'm doubting he actually signed for them, so he joins the list of former Wizards I'm searching for, along with Alex Zotinca, Doug DeMartin, Jose Burciaga, Neal Kitson, Scott Sealy, and Will John. Click to continue reading...

Well that was a real kick in the balls.

After dominating Saprissa for 91 minutes, holding a 1-0 lead for most of that, the Crew gave up a stoppage time goal and settled for a 1-1 draw with the Costa Ricans in last night's Champions League match.

To say that Columbus "gave up" the late goal is a little bit of a misnomer, because in actuality Saprissa stole it, fouling no less than two Crew players while trying frantically to get the ball into the net.

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What a difference a day makes, eh? In fact, that's gonna be tomorrow's Cut of the Day. I only wish I'd thought of it sooner...#1 - My significantly sunnier U.S. Under-20 Player Ratings for last night's sound defeat of Cameroon are up.#2 - Also from yesterday is a new edition of my MLS Club Ladder.#3 - Another Tuesday night bit: the Columbus Crew hosted a 1-1 draw with Costa Rican giants Saprissa Click to continue reading...

The Columbus Crew had a chance to become the first MLS team to reach the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League, but fell short with just seconds remaining as a late equalizer forced the Crew to settle for a 1-1 tie vs. Deportivo Saprissa at Crew Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Crew looked on its way to clinching a top-two spot in its group before Alexander Robinson headed home an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to negate a first-half penalty kick from Robbie Rogers.

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The Columbus Crew had a chance to become the first MLS team to reach the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League, but fell short with just seconds remaining as a late equalizer forced the Crew to settle for a 1-1 tie vs. Deportivo Saprissa at Crew Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Crew looked on its way to clinching a top-two spot in its group before Alexander Robinson headed home an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to negate a first-half penalty kick from Robbie Rogers.

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It's all going well for the Columbus Crew at the moment. After their stumbling start to 2009, things have long been smoothed out as the team clinched a playoff spot after the weekend's results. The Crew have an opportunity to further their international pedigree with a win against Deportivo Saprissa tonight (8pm, FSC), which would lock up second place in Group C and advance them through to the Champions League quarterfinals.

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STARTERS
USA U20 redeem themselves with a great 4-1 win over Cameroon at the World Cup.
Scoring for Cameroon: Banana Yaya! One of the great names of all time!
dN
Reuters reports that Mexico has withdrawn their bid for hosting the 2018/2022 World Cups due to the economy. Click to continue reading...

The Islanders had leads against Cruz Azul (3-1) and Saprissa (1-0) in the home games at Bayamón, but...

The Islanders 2008 killer alajuelazo weapon (last minute goal) was used twice against them at home in Bayamón, and Puerto Rico had to settle with sour draws (that tasted like defeats) against both Cruz Azul (3-3, tying goal in 85′) and Saprissa (1-1, tying goal in 90′+3).

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Under-20 World Cup on ESPN2: USA - Cameroon at 12:30pm. UEFA Champions League on Fox Soccer Channel: Rangers - Sevilla at 2:30pm (Setanta at 6:30pm), Fiorentina - Liverpool at 5pm (Setanta at 2:40pm), and Arsenal - Olympiacos at 10pm. Setanta also has Barcelona - Dinamo Kiev at 4:45pm. CONCACAF Champions League on Fox Soccer: Columbus - Saprissa at 8pm. Click to continue reading...

The tough are apparently getting going. Remember when the season started, and the Crew neglected to beat anyone until May? Remember when the Crew ran into a Mexican cement truck at the end of August, then made a starring role in Richie Williams' audition tape?
The Crew's September schedule consisted of the other three top MLS teams, Cruz Azul, and Saprissa. Click to continue reading...

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Official Web Site, and video highlights from all the games.
dN
Group Stage
Matchday 4:
-Tue Sep 22
Puerto Rico Islanders 1-1 Saprissa - PRI goal by Josh Hansen. Sap goal by Kenall Watson.
Metapan 0-4 Pachuca - Pac goals by Ulises Mendivil(2), Edy German Brambila & Edgar Benítez. Click to continue reading...

STARTERS
I want to float this idea right now: Next season in Kansas City the head coach should be Preki! You read it here first.
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Official Web Site, and video highlights from all the games.
dN
Cruz Azul got a decisive win in Columbus last night and has officially advanced to the knock out rounds. Click to continue reading...