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Costa Rica national football team
International Friendlies
Jun 7, 2014 at 1am UK
 
Republic of Ireland national football team

1-1

Borges (64')
Gonzalez (41')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Doyle (18')

Live Commentary: Costa Rica 1-1 Republic of Ireland - as it happened

Relive with Sports Mole all the action from the World Cup warm-up clash between Costa Rica and the Republic of Ireland.
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Costa Rica played their final game before the start of the World Cup against the Republic of Ireland on Friday.

Jorge Luis Pinto's side were looking to find their form with their opening Group D game against Uruguay in Brazil just seven days away, following their defeat to Japan on Monday.

Ireland took the lead in the first half through Kevin Doyle while Giancarlo Gonzalez was sent off for Pinto's men.

However, Costa Rica rallied in the second to draw level from the spot thanks to Celso Borges and Robbie Keane missed a penalty of his own for Martin O'Neill's side as the game ended all square.

Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.


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Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the World Cup warm-up clash between Costa Rica and the Republic of Ireland.

This game is the last chance foe Jorge Luis Pinto's side to get into the best possible shape ahead of their World Cup campaign. They are just seven days away from their Group D opener against Uruguay and will be looking for a positive result after tasting defeat earlier this week against Japan.

Pinto will also be tempted to name the same starting XI tonight for his side's opening game next week, so it will be interesting to see who makes the grade and the shape he opts for this morning.

Martin O'Neill's side are of course not competing in Brazil but are looking to get themselves into gear for their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign later this year. O'Neill may also be tempted to give some younger players a chance in the hope of blooding them in the qualifiers in the Autumn.

The team news has been announced and we'll start with Costa Rica.

COSTA RICA STARTING XI: Navas, Mora, Gonzalez, Duarte, Umana, Diaz, Urena, Campbell, Cubero, Borges, Ruiz.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND STARTING XI: Forde, Kelly, Keogh, Duffy, Wilson, Quinn, Whelan, Green, Pilkington, Doyle, Keane.

Pinto has made four changes to his side for the clash with Ireland. Mora, Duarte, Urena and Cubero come into the side from the defeat to Japan and replace Miller, Bolanos, Gamboa and Tejeda.

Ireland have made multiple changes to their side that drew 0-0 with Italy last time out. Only David Forde and Anthony Pilkington keep their places in the lineup as Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle, Richard Keogh and Shane Duffy, who makes his senior debut, are among the nine players that come into the side.

COSTA RICA SUBSTITUTES: Bolanos, Gamboa, Calvo, Cambronero, Acosta, Barrentes, Granados, Pemberton, Brenes, Miller, Francis, Tejeda.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SUBSTITUTES: McGeady, Pearce, Meyler, Hendrick, McClean, Elliot, Lawlor, Cox, Hoolahan, Long.

A lot of notable faces in the Ireland side, but there are some known players in the Costa Rica lineup as well as former Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz leads the line alongside Arsenal man Joel Campbell, who scored against Manchester United in the Champions League last season while on loan at Olympiacos.

The players are making their way out onto the field and we should be underway shortly.

We're underway in this World Cup warm-up match.

Decent start for the game for Ireland as they win the ball in the Costa Rica half and Wilson tries to find the run of Keane over the top. His pass has just too much pace on for the Los Angeles Galaxy striker and Navas gathers on the edge of his box.

Lots of strong support for Costa Rica in Pennsylvania, let's see if they can take advantage of the volume of noise inside the PPL Stadium.

Nice surge of pace from Campbell as he collects a pass from Borges and then sprints down the right. He beats Kelly on the inside and tries to get inside the box, but Pilkington gets back to help his full-back and between them they clear the danger.

Ireland need to be a bit more careful in possession in their own half, as Green loses the ball and nearly allows Ruiz to break. Fortunately for the midfielder there are plenty of defenders back for his side to crowd out the striker before he could pull the trigger.

CHANCE! First real opening of the game as Wilson finds space down the left to dig out a cross and he lifts a ball to the back post for Duffy, but his header goes just wide of the target.

A nice passing move from Costa Rica ends when Borges tries to slip a through ball in behind the Ireland defence for Diaz, but Kelly does well to win a goal kick off the legs of the attacker.

An opening for Pinto's side as Urena finds space in behind and he drive towards the box. He then slips the ball out on the right to Ruiz, who cuts inside on his left foot to shoot. The former Fulham man is held out and is forced to roll the ball back to Cubero who does take on the 25-yard effort, but Keogh is there to make the block.

Doyle raids down the right and manages to fire a cross into the six-yard box for the run of Keane, but Gonzalez does well to get ahead of the striker and clear the ball to safety.

GOAL! Costa Rica 0-1 Republic of Ireland (Doyle)

Ireland take the lead as another cross comes into the box this time from the left from Wilson. His ball finds Doyle on the edge of the area and he heads the ball into the ground and past the outstretched hand of Navas.

Costa Rica look a bit knocked by that goal, they've had plenty of the ball but don't really look a threat in the final third of the pitch. Campbell has barely had a kick of the ball while Ruiz has also been held in check.

Pinto's side are really struggling to keep the ball in the Ireland half as Keogh and Duffy are doing a really good job of pressing Urena as soon as he gets the ball. There are no runs in behind from Campbell to worry about either, it has been a very solid showing from Ireland so far.

Ireland look a threat on the break and every time a long ball is pumped forward. Pilkington wins a header against Duarte and the ball falls into Doyle's path, but just as he tries to get an effort away Umana makes a good covering tackle.

Slight break in play as Gonzalez hits the deck after an aerial tussle with Doyle. He has a hard landing, but he appears to be ok to continue.

The passing play from Costa Rica is fine in and around the centre circle, but as soon as the space gets tighter near the Ireland box the quality dips and O'Neill's side have been able to sniff out the danger. A better tempo and a clinical edge is needed from Pinto's men.

A quick switch in play sees Mora able to raid down the right with plenty of space ahead of him. He then decides to whip a cross into the box, but his delivery doesn't beat Duffy who heads the ball clear with ease.

CHANCE! Finally some penetration for Costa Rica as Ruiz manages to find Campbell in the inside right channel. The Arsenal man twists and turns past Wilson and drives a cross to Borges at the back post, but Kelly gets back to stop his headed effort hitting the target.

CHANCE! An error from Forde almost gifts Costa Rica an equaliser as he drops a cross from the right into the path of Gonzalez. The defender tries an ambitious first-time overhead kick, but his effort goes inches over the bar, although Keogh was on the line anyway.

SUBSTITUTION: Marc Wilson makes way for Ireland and is replace by James McClean. This may require a re-shuffle as McClean is a natural winger, but he has played in the role before.

RED CARD! Gonzalez is given a straight red card for Costa Rica for an elbow on Doyle in an aerial clash. It's nasty as the striker is left bleeding and requiring treatment, that could well be retribution for their earlier encounter but the defender has paid the price. It will be interesting to see if he could be banned for his side's World Cup opener against Uruguay next week.

CHANCE! Forde nearly makes another costly error for Ireland as he tries to come to claim Borges's free kick and he misses the ball completely. Duarte makes the header behind him, but his effort goes inches wide of the post.

There will be three minutes of added time.

HALF-TIME: Costa Rica 0-1 Republic of Ireland

That first half couldn't have gone much worse for Costa Rica in their preparation for their World Cup campaign. They trail the Republic of Ireland due to Doyle's 18th-minute strike and are also down to 10 men as Giancarlo Gonzalez was sent off for an elbow on the striker. It will be curious to see if he will be punished for that incident in the tournament, but Pinto will be far from happy with the defender and the rest of his side.

O'Neill will be delighted with 10 of his players but not keeper David Forde, who made two errors which on another day could have been very costly. The Irish defence has pressed well and kept Costa Rica at bay for the majority of the first half, while they have also looked dangerous on the break. Doyle had a nasty clash with Gonzalez and was bleeding from his head, so he may not feature in the second half as a precaution, but there were plenty of positives for O'Neill to take.

The players are making their way back onto the pitch and we should be underway shortly.

We're back underway in this World Cup warm-up match.

Ireland are straight on the attack after the break and manage to get to the edge of the Costa Rica box, but the move is grounded to a halt as Doyle is penalised for a foul on Duarte for backing into the the defender.

CHANCE! Ireland should be 2-0 up as they break down the right and Kelly manages to slip a pass to Keane who in turn finds Doyle unmarked on the left. The striker has space and time but he mishits his shot and the chance is spurned.

CHANCE! A chance for Costa Rica to find an equaliser as Kelly doesn't quite deal with the threat of Urena and he gets inside the box and beats the challenge of Keogh. The striker goes for the shot from a tight angle, but his effort goes over the bar.

Campbell receives the ball on the right and he tries to turn McClean inside and out. He decides to cut in on his left foot and finds space for the shot, but his effort lacks any pace and is easily gathered by Forde.

Better play from Costa Rica after the break they're showing a lot more quality in the final third of the pitch despite being at a one-man disadvantage.

A long ball over the top of the Irish defence almost falls for Campbell as he outpaces McClean to the ball, but Forde is off his line quickly and he gets there just ahead of the striker to knock the ball out of play.

YELLOW CARD! McClean goes into the book for O'Neill's side.

Ireland work the ball well through the midfield and Keane has the chance to play a through ball for Pilkington to get him in behind, but his pass is intercepted by Umana who clears the danger. Keane is not happy with himself there and he should be, that was a great chance for his side.

PENALTY TO COSTA RICA!

Costa Rica win a penalty as Urena is played through on goal by Campbell and is brought down inside the area by Forde. There was contact between the keeper and the striker and the referee pointed to the spot, another mistake by Forde in this game.

GOAL! Costa Rica 1-1 Republic of Ireland (Borges)

Borges makes no mistake from the spot as he blasts his effort into the roof of the net to get the equaliser for his side. Game on!

PENALTY TO IRELAND!

Quinn raids forward and is brought down in the box by a clumsy challenge from Mora and the referee points to the spot.

PENALTY SAVED!

Keane tries a staggered run up but his penalty is well saved by Pemberton as the keeper guesses the right way and palms the ball to safety. Pemberton read Keane well there and wasn't put off by the run up at all.

Campbell raids down the right and manages to cut inside onto his left foot, he gets a shot away which looks to be heading to the bottom corner but Forde tips the ball away. A good save by Forde and he may have just atoned for his earlier error.

CHANCE! McClean's turn to threaten for Ireland as he finds space down the left. He manages to get all the way inside the box and tries to find substitute Long at the near post. The striker makes contact with the ball but Pemberton turns his effort away.

Costa Rica are upping the ante late in the game despite being a man light, they will have certainly given themselves a lot of confidence heading into their clash with Uruguay next week even if they can't find a winner in his game.

CHANCE! Long receives the ball just outside the penalty area from McClean. He takes the ball onto his right foot and fires a powerful drive at goal, but Pemberton is alert and makes a great one-handed-save to keep his side level.

Ireland press late in the game and Hendrick manages to raid into the box and looks to shoot. Duarte manages to get back and forces him to spread the ball to McGeady, but Umana is there to make the tackle to stop the shot from the winger.

SHOT! Ireland move forward again and this time McGeady does try and effort at goal from 30 yards, but his shot goes harmlessly wide of the post.

Brenes makes a surge forward from midfield and lays the ball into the path of Ruiz and continues his run into the box. The skipper tries to find Brenes with a left-footed cross, but the ball goes over his head and Forde is able to gather.

There will be two minutes of added time.

CHANCE! Ireland work a short corner and the ball comes back to Cox who tries to catch Pemberton out at his near post with a shot, but the keeper is down quickly to palm the ball behind.

FULL-TIME: Costa Rica 1-1 Republic of Ireland

Costa Rica give themselves a real confidence boost as they manage to earn a draw from their final World Cup warm-up game despite playing the final 50 minutes with 10 men following Gonzalez's dismissal. They showed better attacking intent in the second half as Campbell had a major affect on the game and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. Urena also caused problems and earned his side the penalty that Borges dispatched, there is plenty to build on for Pinto's side heading into their Group D opener against Uruguay next week.

O'Neill will not be overly pleased with his side's second-half performance after their solid display in the first. Bar the penalty they didn't look much of a threat against the 10 men of Costa Rica and were on the back foot for the majority of the second 45 minutes. So there will be plenty of room for improvement for Ireland in their Euro 2016 qualifiers later this year.

Thanks for joining our commentary this morning. Be sure to stick with us for our continued coverage of the build-up to the World Cup this week. But, from me, it's goodbye.

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Japan's Keisuke Honda celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Belgium during their international friendly match on November 19, 2013
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