Italy vs Costa Rica, World Cup results: Bryan Ruiz header drops Azzurri, eliminates England

Everyone in the soccer community was shocked when Costa Rica beat Uruguay in their World Cup opening match. Costa Rica is in Group D, arguably the most difficult in the tournament with Uruguay, England and Italy. Between those three clubs is seven of the 19 World Cup trophies ever won.

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Costa Rica wasn’t discouraged or intimidated heading into the tournament, shocking Uruguay. Against Italy they faced another tough challenge, and everyone would get to find out if the team was for real or if their upset of Uruguay was a fluke or not. Italy has been to the World Cup final game more times than Costa Rica had World Cup wins. Coming into this game Italy had 45 all time wins against in the World Cup, Costa Rica had just four. Italy has four World Cup trophies, coming into the game Costa Rica had four World Cup wins.

But Italy ultimately suffered the same fate as Uruguay.

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The Italians failed to get many quality chances and failed to find the back of the net. Late in the first half, Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell was in the box with the ball and cut to his left before hitting the grass.

The referee did not blow the whistle and call the foul, electing not to award Costa Rica the penalty the fans in the stadium thought they deserved. That non-call could’ve been huge.

The Costa Ricans wouldn’t need it.

Minutes later right before the end of the first half, Costa Rica was able to get the goal they’d need to drop the Azzurri. Júnior Díaz sent a high cross curling towards the far post and Bryan Ruiz elevated and headed it in. Ruiz went high, and the ball fired towards the cross-bar and ricocheted down and over the line. Now Italy finds themselves down a goal to a scrappy Costa Rica team that was supposed to be the welcome mat in the group.

Heading into the tunnel at the break, tempers flared and the Italians and Costa Ricans got into a scuffle. It doesn’t seem like anything besides some pushing and shoving occurred, but it was indicative of how the first half had gone.

In the second half the Italians couldn’t get the goal they needed to equalize, and they Central American team held on to get the win. The Italians were called for 11 offside offenses. That moved them into the knockout rounds, the round of 16.

Italy still has a chance to advance as well in their finale against Uruguay. England was eliminated with Costa Rican’s win.