Late Goal Lifts Costa Rica, 2-1
Andy Herron scored nearly three minutes into second-half injury time as Costa Rica became the second CONCACAF team to reach the quarterfinals of Copa America with a 2-1 victory over Chile on Wednesday at Tacna, Peru.
Costa Rica, which was asked to play in the tournament as a guest after the United States declined an invitation, will play Group A winner Colombia in a quarterfinal Saturday. Costa Rica advanced as the second-best third-place team.
Mexico, the other guest participant from the region encompassing North and Central America and the Caribbean, won Group B but will be faced with a tough quarterfinal after Paraguay stunned previously unbeaten Brazil, 2-1, in Wednesday’s late game at Arequipa.
That result meant that Paraguay won Group C and Mexico will have to play Brazil in a quarterfinal match Sunday.
Peru and Argentina will meet in the other Saturday quarterfinal, and Paraguay and Uruguay will battle in the other Sunday quarterfinal.
In Costa Rica’s victory, Mauricio Wright, a former Major League Soccer player with the New England Revolution and San Jose Earthquakes, scored the tying goal in the 59th minute by tapping in a shot by teammate Walter Centeno.
Paraguay scored its clinching goal in the 71st minute when striker Fredy Bareiro beat Brazilian defender Luisao and blasted a low shot past goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
MLS News
MLS officials awarded an expansion franchise to Salt Lake City and a group of investors led by Dave Checketts, the former president of the NBA’s Utah Jazz and New York Knicks.
The team will begin play next season and will be one of two new teams to give the league 12. MLS previously awarded a franchise to Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara, owner of Chivas of the Mexican league. Chivas USA is expected to play at the Home Depot Center; an official announcement is expected next week.
Checketts made the announcement at Rice-Eccles Stadium, which will be the team’s home for its first two or three seasons. The stadium also is home to the University of Utah’s football team.
“It’s time for Salt Lake City to have another major league team,” Checketts said. “The people here are very passionate about sport if it’s presented in the right way. They want to be major league, and they want to win.”
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Taylor Twellman scored two second-half goals as the New England Revolution beat the Chicago Fire, 3-1, in front of 9,634 at Foxboro, Mass.
New England (4-8-4) extended Chicago’s winless streak to six matches and moved within two points of the fourth-place Fire (4-6-6) in the Eastern Conference.
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Freddy Adu played 90 minutes and had a hand in D.C. United’s 4-3 penalty-kicks victory over English club Nottingham Forest after the teams tied, 1-1, in regulation during a friendly at Washington.
Adu, 15, who has been used mostly off the bench this season, was turned away on several solid scoring chances by Nottingham goalkeepers Paul Gerrard and Darren Ward.
Ben Olsen scored the clinching penalty kick for the victory. Former Galaxy player Ezra Hendrickson scored United’s goal in regulation.
Quick Passes
Jamaica international Onandi Lowe, a former MLS player with the Kansas City Wizards, was charged in England with attempting to possess crack cocaine with intent to supply, a spokesman from Northamptonshire police confirmed.... Midfielder Theodoros Zagorakis, who captained Greece to victory in the European Championship and was named the tournament’s top player, was waived by AEK Athens to help the financially struggling Greek club.... First-division English club West Ham signed England striker Teddy Sheringham, 38, to a one-year deal.... Norwegian international striker John Carew, 25, signed a three-year deal with Turkish club Besiktas.
