COSTA RICA SPRINTS TO VICTORY OVER U.S. : COSTA RICA 3, U.S. 2.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. His team outrun out·run tr.v. out·ran , out·run, out·run·ning, out·runs 1. a. To run faster than. b. To escape from: outrun one's creditors. 2. and outplayed by Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. , Steve Sampson Steve Sampson (born January 19, 1957 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a soccer coach and the former head coach of the United States men's national team and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. remains certain the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. will be at next year's World Cup. And Costa Rica will be right there as well. ``You have just watched two teams that will be playing in France,'' the U.S. coach said Sunday after the Americans lost to Costa Rica 3-2, their first defeat in the final round of qualifying for the 1998 World Cup. Sampson had said he hoped to escape with a tie and one point. And for a while, it looked as if he would get his wish. Roy Lassiter Roy Lassiter (born March 9, 1969 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired American soccer striker, and Major League Soccer's record holder for goals scored in a season, with 27 in 1996. Lassiter was born in Washington, D.C. , who played professionally in Costa Rica and was booed when he entered the game in the second half, tied it 2-2 in the 68th minute. Then Ronald Gomez struck eight minutes later and Costa Rica had its victory. ``We had that one point in our hands . . . we lost it,'' Sampson said. ``We tried to hang on and cover the spaces on defense, but their speed was too much.'' The United States, Costa Rica and Mexico are tied with four points in the six-team group, but the Americans (1-1-1) have played three games and Mexico and Costa Rica (both 1-0-1) two each. The top three teams in the North and Central American Central America A region of southern North America extending from the southern border of Mexico to the northern border of Colombia. It separates the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean and is linked to South America by the Isthmus of Panama. and Caribbean region advance to the 32-team tournament in France next summer. Jamaica (0-0-1) is fourth in the group, followed by El Salvador (0-0) and Canada (0-2). Each team plays 10 games, a home-and-home series with its five opponents, with the qualifying round to end Nov. 16. Before a jubilant crowd of 20,000 at Saprissa Stadium, Gomez scored with 14 minutes left, tipping in a clearing attempt by defender Mike Burns. Harold Wallace picked up a loose ball outside the penalty area, faked defender Alexi Lalas and then chipped a cross that Burns kicked onto the foot of Gomez at the near post. The goal was a crusher for the United States, which seemed to have regained command after Lassiter's goal. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Cobi Jones of the U.S., center, and Costa Rica's Jafeth Soto battle for the ball. Associated Press |
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