Borgetti takes record
ByReuters
Published 18/08/2005 at 06:58 GMT
Jared Borgetti became Mexico's all-time leading scorer when his goal helped to a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Costa Rica on Wednesday. Previously level with Carlos Hermosillo and Luis Hernandez, Borgetti took his tally to 36 goals as he fired home in
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Image credit: Eurosport
It was also his 13th goal of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying competition.
Francisco Fonseca scored from a rebound with four minutes left to leave Mexico virtually certain of qualifying for Germany next year.
Unbeaten in their 14-match qualifying campaign to date, Mexico lead the six-team final stage with 16 points from six games.
"I'm very happy and I hope to keep scoring goals with this shirt, which I love a lot," Borgetti said.
Costa Rica never looked like pulling off a repeat of their famous 2-1 win four years ago despite winning several free kicks in dangerous positions and remain on seven points.
Borgetti, who became the first Mexican player to join an English premier league club when he signed for Bolton Wanderers, nearly gave Mexico a ninth-minute lead when his close range shot from Pavel Pardo's cross struck the post.
Ten minutes later, Borgetti outjumped his marked but his header was well saved by Costa Rica goalkeeper Jose Francisco Porras.
As the first half wore on, the game became bogged down in midfield and Mexico became frustrated.
The hosts looked livelier after the break when attacking midfielder Ramon Morales replaced Gerardo Torrado.
However, they suffered a fright in the 57th minute when Costa Rica's Ronald Gomez broke from midfield, cut inside his marker and forced Oswaldo Sanchez to make a difficult save after his shot took a deflection.
The Mexican breakthrough came five minutes later.
Ricardo Osorio's low cross from the right was missed by two Costa Rica defenders and ran through to Borgetti, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net at the far post.
Borgetti nearly grabbed a second in the 77th minute when his deflected shot was saved by Porras while Morales was also close with a vicious left-foot shot which flew across the face of the goal.
In the 86th minute, Morales unleashed another rocket which Porras was unable to hold and Fonseca snapped up the rebound.
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