strong side as usual.
14/5/2007 - 18:08(EST)
Medford announces his Gold Cup squad
Costa Rica coach, Hernán Medford, summoned today the 23 players who will dispute to the Gold Cup of the The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
In the press conference, Medford emphasized that all the players called fulfill the demand “to be match ready” and that they can adapt correctly to the 3-5-2 formation that has used during career as coach.
Only four players who play abroad appear on the list: defender Pablo Chinchilla, of the Altach of Austria, midfielders Bryan Ruiz and Randall Azofeifa of Gent of Belgium, and Sion of Switzerland striker Alvaro Saborío.
Of the 23 players, a total of 11 were on the of Germany 2006 roster: goalkeepers Jose Francisco Porras and Wardy Alfaro; defenders Harold Wallace, Leonardo González, Michael Umaña, Jervis Drummond and Gabriel Badilla; midfielders Azofeifa, Walter Centeno and Carlos Hernandez; and striker Saborío.
Forward Rolando Fonseca, top scorer of “the ticos” with 46 goals, joins the team. He played in World Cup South Korea and Japan 2002.
The team will begin their preparation next the 21 of May, and soon after will play Chile in a friendly on June 2, in San Jose, and two days later they will travel to the United States to dispute to the Gold Cup.
The Cup will be carried out from the 6 to the 24 of June, and Costa Rica has the hope to win that title for the first time in its history.
The “ticos”, whose best finish was a second place finish in 2002, are in the same group as Canada, Haiti, and Guadalupe.
The complete squad is:
- Goalkeepers: José Francisco Porras (Saprissa), Wardy Alfaro (Alajuelense) y Dexter Lewis (Pérez Zeledón).
- Defenders: Víctor Cordero (Saprissa), Gabriel Badilla (Saprissa), Jervis Drummond (Saprissa), Andrés Núñez (Saprissa), Freddy Fernández (Pérez Zeledón), Michael Umaña (Herediano), Leonardo González (Herediano), Harold Wallace (Alajuelense), and Pablo Chinchilla (Altach, AUS).
- Midfielders: Roy Myrie (Alajuelense), Carlos Hernández (Alajuelense), Randall Azofeifa (Gent, BEL), Bryan Ruiz (Gent, BEL), Walter Centeno (Saprissa), Michael Barrantes (Saprissa), and Rodolfo Rodríguez (Brujas).
- Strikers: Alonso Solís (Saprissa), Allan Alemán (Saprissa), Rolando Fonseca (Alajuelense), and Álvaro Saborío (Sion, SWI).
