Day four of FIFA’s Women’s World Cup saw the end of the opening games at the group stage with Spain taking on Costa Rica and Brazil facing Korea Republic, whilst France battled it out with England and Colombia faced Mexico.
SPAIN 1 COSTA RICA 1
Group E began with another debutant head-to-head as the entertaining Spanish faced a well-drilled Costa Rican side at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
Spain found the breakthrough thanks to a measured strike by 24 year old forward Vicky Losada after superbly controlling a Sonia Bermudez centre.
But it took just 60 seconds for the Costa Ricans to respond and respond brilliantly they did, as Lixy Rodriguez burst into Spain’s penalty area and her centred pass found Player of the Match Rodriquez Cedeno unmarked, and she duly tapped home to level the match.
28 year old midfielder Veronica Boquette did become more influential as the game wore on but Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz was equal to anything the spaniards could throw at her.
Spain:
Ainhoa, Celia (Ruth 62), Leire, Natalia, Soni (Corredera 72), Vero (c), Hermoso (Priscila 84), Losada, Marta, Paredes, Alexia.
Costa Rica:
Diaz, Saenz, Sanchez, Herrera (Guillen 88), Venegas (Granados 80), Cruz (c), Cedeno, Rodriguez, Barrantes (Villalobos 74), Alvarado, Acosta.