SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Host Costa Rica defeated El Salvador, 1-0, on Friday to secure a place in the final of the UNCAF Copa Centroamericana against regional rival Honduras.
It took the Ticos more sweat and time than the home crowd would have liked to break down a gritty visiting side on a cool night at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose, but a second-half strike from substitute Rodney Wallace proved to be the difference.
Costa Rica took the game to their visitors from the onset in front of a partial home crowd, attacking in waves and earning chance after chance throughout the first half.
Try as they might, though, the Ticos couldn't crack the Salvadoran defense. When they did, they found goalkeeper Dagoberto Portillo up to every challenge.
In the second half, the Salvadorans found some more convincing offensive impetus, forcing Costa Rican goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton into a pair of good stops.
Those efforts set the table for 71st minute heroics from Wallace, who entered the field only eight minutes earlier for Jairo Arrieta. The 24-year-old forcefully headed in an Osvaldo Rodriguez cross from the right wing to give the home team a lead it would not relinquish.
The six-time UNCAF champion then held off El Salvador's bid to mount a comeback, as Pemberton heroically stretched to palm away a goal-bound attempt from Rafael Burgos in second half stoppage time.
Costa Rica extended its unbeaten streak in UNCAF semifinals to six games (4 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses), though it did fall on penalty kicks to Honduras in the 1995 edition after the teams played to a 1-1 stalemate.
El Salvador lost in the competition for the first time after posting three straight draws and will meet Belize for third place on Sunday. The Cuscatlecos will be aiming to equal their best-ever finish after coming in third on four previous occasions.
The Ticos lost to Honduras 2-1 in the 2011 Centroamericana final and will be pleased for the opportunity to avenge that result in front of their own supporters at the Estadio Nacional, also on Sunday.
