A last-minute penalty kick gave Costa Rica's Real Cartago a narrow 2-1 victory over the Cowichan Classics in an international friendly game at Duncan's McAdam Park on June 30.
"Somebody ran into one of their players in the box," Classics organizer Martin Best lamented.
Best estimated that the Cowichan team had about 70 per cent of the possession in the game, but had trouble finishing. The 35-degree heat didn't help, although the Central American squad may have been better prepared for the conditions. A close loss to Real Cartago team wasn't anything to be ashamed of, as the Costa Rican team went on to a tournament in Victoria where they beat a local team and an American entry, and battled to a draw with a Mexican team.
The Cowichan Classics have a 10-year relationship with Real Cartago, and have travelled to Costa Rica and Mexico to play games against them, in addition to hosting multiple games in Duncan.