COSTA RICA TO HOST PAIR OF FRIENDLIES AGAINST MEXICO

Costa Rica's Futsal National Team will host Mexico in a pair of international friendlies at the Gimnasio Nacional in San Jose at 8 p.m. local time from April 4-5. Both teams begin their preparations for next year’s CONCACAF Futsal qualifier in Guatemala that will advance two teams to the 2004 FIFA World Championships in Chinese Taipei. Both squads have previously met in the semifinals of 2000 CONCACAF tournament with the Ticos posting a hard-fought 3:2 victory on July 27, 2000. Costa Rica went on to capture the confederation's title and one of the two berths (other Cuba) to the 2000 FIFA World Championship (in Guatemala), while Mexico settled for fourth-place after losing in the bronze medal game to the USA 5:1. Recently, the CONCACAF rivals squared off last year, as Costa Rica went winless in a two-game series against at the Gimnasio Fishbein in Mexico City from Dec. 6-7, 2002. Goals by midfielder Victor Hugo Huerta, Leonardo Morales Figueroa and defender Carlos Ramirez Guerrero paced Mexico to a 3:1 victory over the Costa Rica in the opener on Dec. 6. The next day, both teams played to a 2:2 draw as Ramirez Guerrero and forward Francisco Ramirez Castaneda scored for the Tri-colores, while forwards Junior Rodriguez and Randolf Sanchez each notched a tally for the Ticos.

Costa Rica
Goalkeepers – Javier Alfaro (Desamparados), Héctor Fonseca (Universidad Nacional), José Luis Garro (Juventud Olímpica / Barrio Peralta), Randall Salas (Desamparados);
Defenders – Erick Arce (Desamparados), Ricardo Juárez (Desamparados F.S.), José Picado (Trinidad de Moravia Mega Super F.S.), Jhonny Rodríguez (Juventud Olímpica Sportek);
Midfielders – Jasón Arce (Juventud Olímpica Sportek), Michael Barrantes (Juventud Olímpica Sportek), Freddy Espinoza (Desamparados), Marvin Marín (Juventud Olímpica Sportek), Esteban Naranjo (Desamparados), Randolph Sánchez (Desamparados), Henry Valverde (Desamparados);
Forwards – Carlos Chávez (Juventud Olímpica Sportek), Yanán Montoya (Desamparados), Junior Rodríguez (Desamparados)
Coach – Carlos Quirós Álvarez

Mexico
Goalkeepers – Julio Cesar Castillo Barrera, Amado Pablo Torres Bueno (Edo Mexico), Marcelo Trepman;
Defenders – José Carlos Hernández Vargas, Carlos Alberto Ramírez Guerrero, Miguel Ángel Sánchez Duarte, Mario Alberto Vertí García (Edo. Mexico);
Midfielders – Arturo López Cervantes, Leonardo Morales Figueroa, Miguel Ángel Olvera Sánchez, Roberto Soto Salamanca;
Forwards – Héctor Guzmán Sepúlveda (C.D.I.), Víctor Hugo Huerta (Delta GAM), Meir Kastro, Francisco Ramírez Castañeda (Delta GAM),
Coach – Jesús Bravo Reyna