FOXBORO, Massachusetts, 18 July 2003 — Marvin Gonzalez’s goal 14 minutes from time gave El Salvador a 1-0 victory over Martinique in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Wednesday, securing a quarterfinal tie against Costa Rica.
Earlier, Costa Rica clinched their place in the last eight with a 3-0 victory over Cuba.
El Salvador and Martinique both went into their Group C match needing a win to progress. Martinique fielded an amateur side with the exception of goalkeeper Eddy Heurlie, a reserve with relegated French Ligue 1 team Troyes.
Jose Gordon almost gave Martinique a 36th-minute lead but his shot was well saved by goalkeeper Juan Gomez. At the other end, Heurlie made several stops before Gonzalez finally struck.
Heurlie saved substitute William Alegria’s point-blank shot but the ball fell kindly for Gonzalez to tap in from 10 meters.
“We’re like a new-born baby,” El Salvador coach Juan Paredes told reporters.
“El Salvador has had to start over during the last year and we are going through some growing pains. We need to finish better but we don’t have too many forwards who can score. “We will have to use all of our resources available to us against Costa Rica, just to take them out of the rhythm of their game.”
Costa Rica, who also needed a win to stay in the competition, powered through thanks to their 3-0 victory over Cuba in Group D.
A brilliant strike from Walter Centeno in first-half stoppage time gave Costa Rica the lead before substitutes Steven Bryce and Erick Scott put the game beyond Cuba, who now meet the US, the defending champions, in the last eight.
Despite dominating from the start, the Costa Ricans took a long time to make their superiority tell. Winston Parks struck the post in the third minute while Centeno headed a cross from Rolando Fonseca against the bar 12 minutes later. Cuba’s best chance came on 33 minutes when Jeniel Marquez unleashed a shot from 22 metres that goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez did well to fist away.Costa Rica eventually broke through when Carlos Castro’s corner was volleyed in by Centeno from 18 meters.
Bryce, who replaced Wilmer Lopez in the 72nd minute, doubled the lead almost immediately by slamming in a shot from 14 meters.
Five minutes later, Costa Rica made it 3-0 when Scott pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area. Costa Rica coach Steve Sampson was full of praise for Centeno’s goal.
Own Goal Gives Uruguay
2-2 Draw With Argentina
In La Plata, Argentina, a Gabriel Milito own goal helped Uruguay to a 2-2 draw with Argentina in a friendly international on Wednesday.
The first 10 minutes saw a flurry of goals as Argentina’s Diego Milito struck twice while Javier Chevanton found the net for Uruguay.
Gabriel Milito’s own goal, conceded nine minutes from halftime, put the visitors back on level terms.
Both teams fielded an experimental line-up in the inaugural match at Ciudad de la Plata’s new Estadio Unico stadium.
Argentina started the game confidently and took the lead in the fifth minute when Diego Milito met Cesar Delgado’s cross with a header.
