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Celso Borges scored two second-half goals and lifted Costa Rica to a come from behind 3-2 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in World Cup qualifying action at the Dwight Yorke Stadium on Saturday.

Borges, who scored in the 13th minute Wednesday night in San Jose in a 3-1 victory over the United States, scored in the 52nd and 69th minutes after Carlos Edwards had given the hosts a 31^st minute lead with a thunderous free kick from 25 metres out.

The win left  Costa Rica 12 points atop the standings as the final round of qualifying reached its midpoint with T&T in bottom spot on two points heading into Wednesday’s encounter against Mexico at the Azteca.

 
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T&T started brightly and the partisan home crowd were on their feet as Russell Latapy’s men went for the kill from the opening whistle.Twice in the early stages, Jones caused some anxious moments for the Costa Rican back line. First he ran on to meet a long ball over from the left but the Costa Rican goalie was quickly off his line to deny him and then on another move goalwards his header over the advancing goalie had to be cleared on he six yard box with the keeper out of the goal. 

Jason Scotland also had two efforts which should have been put away, one which he blasted over bar with the goal in clear sight.

Click here for Team line ups 

Gonzalo Segares gave away a free kick 35 yards from goals and Edwards drove a right-footed ball past into the net The shot was well left of the wall, skipped twice and entered just inside the left post past slowly reacting Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas.

Costa Rica reacted by testing Clayton Ince two minutes later, forcing the Walsall keeper to tip Alvaro Saborio’s header over the bar.

But Saborio converted in the 41st, appearing to mis-hit a cross by Esteban Sirias by missing with his right leg but deflecting it inadvertently with his right thigh, dribbling it between Ince and the far post.

Borges capitalized on a T&T  mistake to put Costa Rica ahead in the 52nd, reacting to Dennis Lawrence’s attempted headed clearance. Lawrence cleared the ball up the middle, where Borges ran on and drove a ball from inside the area.

Samuel, who replaced the lively  Hayden Tinto to start the second half, restored the life to the crowd in the 63rd when he drilled home low from the right of the box after Cornell Glen forced the ball through to hi. Kenwyne Jones had the ball at the top of the area before Segares forced the ball wide, where Samuel ran on and drove a ball that Navas was able to partially block, but not stop from bouncing into the goal.

Latapy still pleased with the effort

Head Coach Rusell Latapy was noticeably disappointed with the loss on Saturday but was far from down spirited as he reached following what can be considered as the team’s liveliest performance of the campaign thus far.

“Obviously it’s disappointing because this is a game we went into thinking that we needed to win. We went in with that approach and to lose a game after going ahead at home is always hard to take,” Latapy said.

“But I was delighted with the effort from the boys and it’s a good promising indication of what we are capable of producing. Costa Rica are the table toppers and they showed why today because they punished us and they were clinical with their chances.

“We have now got to evaluate our performance take it forward with us. Mathematically we still have a chance of qualifying and it’s important that all of us keep that in mind because only with that belief and that spirit will it be possible to make it happen,” Latapy said.

San Jose Earthquakes striker Cornell Glen will not travel with the squad having picked up a second yellow card on Saturday and Joe Public striker Kerry Baptiste will replace him.

Team	MP	P	W	D	L	GF	GA
	Costa Rica	5	4	0	1	9	5	12
	USA	5	3	1	1	10	6	10
	El Salvador	4	1	2	1	6	6	5
	Honduras	4	1	1	2	5	6	4
	Mexico	4	1	0	3	4	7	3
	Trinidad and Tobago	4	0	2	2	5	9	2