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Scorpions Beat the Costa Rica U-23 National Team 4-2

March 28, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
San Antonio Scorpions News Release


SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The San Antonio Scorpions beat the Costa Rica U-23 National Team 4-2 Saturday night in an international friendly at Toyota Field.

The match didn't start off the way the Scorpions' supporters would have hoped as only four minutes in, the visitors were on the board. Jairo Picado got behind the San Antonio defense and slotted home a shot that goalie Jon Kempin had little chance to stop.

But after the early setback, the Alamo City boys got things rolling as new 2015 signing Marvin Chávez evened things up only four minutes later. Eric Hassli dribbled deep towards the left-hand endline and then sent a hard, low pass across the Costa Rican six-yard box. Chávez received the ball in traffic, but managed to shoot through the scrum of cleats and shinguards for the score to make it 1-1.

In the 34', another Scorpions attack in the Ticos end fizzled out, but Elizondo intercepted an ill-conceived outlet pass in the middle of the 18-yard box. The Costa Rican native swerved around a defender to create space and then hit a hard and high right-footed shoot that goalkeeper Ariel Lî"pez was unable to stop, giving the Scorpions the 2-1 advantage.

Just before the half, an odd sequence started with a Costa Rica free kick in San Antonio's half of the field. The ball was won by the Scorpions and sent forward to Cristian Palomeque, who was clearly breaking past the Ticos' defense that had their line far up the field for the set piece. Din Jon Arias grabbed Palomeque to prevent the breakaway, but referee Christopher Mercado gave only the Costa Rican player a yellow card to the surprise of the stadium and Head Coach Alen Marcina in particular. Marcina voiced his disagreement with the call and was immediately shown a red card and forced to leave the field of play.

The San Antonio lead grew to 3-1 early in the second half, and Hassli again started the play that led to a goal in the 53' when he whipped in a beautiful cross from the right side that found Elizondo breaking free in the middle of the box. But before he could slot home his second, Costa Rican defender Alexander Robinson yanked Elizondo down and Mercado immediately pointed to the spot. Hassli - who wore the captain's armband for the Scorpions - took the subsequent penalty kick and placed the ball perfectly low and just inside the left post where most keepers would have had a hard time making the save.

Kempin showed everyone how it was done when Costa Rica was awarded a penalty kick of their own only six minutes later. The Ticos were given the spot kick after a slight tug of the jersey by Scorpions center back Nana Attakora led to a Costa Rican attacker hitting the turf. Striker Maurcio Ayales stepped up to take the shot, but Kempin confidently waited until the shooter opened his hips and then he dived hard to his left to save the well-struck shot at a full stretch. Kempin also had an acrobatic save earlier in the match in what was a strong performance in his first game playing for the Scorpions.

Costa Rica eventually did find their second in the 77' through midfielder Juan Gabriel Guzmán, but it wasn't enough as the home side put in the final score of the night in the 89'. Scorpions midfielder Pablo Cruz took a hard shot that Lî"pez parried, but unfortunately for him it dropped right to the feet of Chávez, who easily tapped home for the brace and 4-2 final score.

Next Saturday, San Antonio will begin defense of their 2014 North American Soccer League (NASL) Championship when the NASL Spring Season kicks off at Toyota Field against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

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North American Soccer League Stories from March 28, 2015


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