Costa Rica thrashes Panama in CONCACAF W
Costa Rica has played the World Cup once in 2015. Panama has never qualified in the women’s branch to the most prestigious tournament in world football.
Rocky Rodriguez and Maria Paula Salas scored in the first half to lead Costa Rica to a 3-0 thrashing of Panama in the first round of Group B of the CONCACAF W Championship.
The tournament defines the teams qualified for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Rodriguez, who plays for the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League, scored with a header in the sixth minute. Salas followed with his goal at 24.
Katherine Alvarado converted a penalty to close the account for the ticas at 60.
Costa Rica and Panama are placed in Group B alongside Canada and Trinidad and Tobago who play later.
The eight teams were divided into two groups for this tournament. The top two from each group will receive a ticket to the 2023 World Cup.
The third-place team will play a 10-team intercontinental tournament in New Zealand in February.
The tournament champion will also get his ticket to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
