Ecuador booked their passage into the second round of the World Cup finals with a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Hamburg.
Los Ticos' last two World Cup finals matches have seen thirteen goals scored, many in the Central Americans' net and their defence never really looked comfortable up against a front two of Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado.
Both strikers were on the score sheet at the AOL Arena, along with substitute Ivan Kaviedes, to give the South American's the win that sees them reach the second round for the first time in their history.
Following a tentative opening few minutes, Ecuador took the lead with the first attack of note as Tenorio nodded home after great build up play around the box from the South Americans.
Delgado kept the attack alive with some close ball control before feeding Luis Valencia in the left channel and his perfectly weighted ball into the box was powered home by Tenorio to give La Tricolor the early advantage.
The subsequent 20 minutes produced little to excite as the Costa Ricans kept possession well but never forced Christian Mora to work, while Ecuador were forced to shoot from distance as they were closed down quickly by their opponents' defence.
Edison Mendez and Segundo Castillo both saw their long-range efforts blocked by sprawling defenders as Ecuador took total control of proceedings.
Their dominance in attack forced Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimares into an early change, bringing on striker Alvaro Saborio in place of Danny Fonseca, and the substitution certainly livened up the match.
After a disappointing first 40 minutes, the game really came to life in the final five minutes of the half with chances at both ends coming thick and fast.
Mora was finally forced into save, although a simple one at that as Mauricio Solis' tame shot was straight at the colourful keeper before his opposite number, Jose Porras, had to be alert at the other end.
Valencia's cross from the by-line flicked off the head of defender Luis Marin and would have ended up in the back of the net had it not been for the speedy reactions of the veteran goalkeeper.
Costa Rica's Douglas Sequeira and Delgado were then both guilty of missing glorious chances just before the break as they headed and poked wide respectively from perfect centres with the goal gaping.
Los Ticos came out in the second half clearly having been told by their coach to play a quicker style of football and it almost worked when Ronald Gomez fired narrowly wide of Mora's left post with a low shot.
However, their domination of the game last all of eight minutes as Ecuador added a second through Delgado.
The Southampton reject had just seconds earlier forced Porras to make a save from an acrobatic volley before beating the Saprissa goalkeeper at his near post.
Some neat link-up play between Delgado and Mendez on the corner of the area saw the striker go through on goal and fire a shot beyond Porras, the ball past the 35-year-old before he could react.
Costa Rica looked for an instant response to Delgado's strike and were almost back in the game five minutes later when Solis burst from midfield and forced Mora into a good save to his left.
Substitute Kaviedes thought he had his team's third with 20 minutes remaining when he finished coolly, only to see the linesman's flag up as he wheeled away to celebrate.
From that point Costa Rica tried to get back in the game but did not trouble Mora, Carlos Hernandez missing the target from distance, while Kaviedes at the other end looked as likely as anyone to bag a late goal.
Porras palmed a shot wide from the former Crystal Palace front-man, who was getting in some good positions late in the game.
Saborio almost claimed a late consolation but it was certainly Ecuador's day when Mendez and Kaviedes linked up for the latter to volley past Porras in stoppage time to complete Costa Rica's miserable day.
The result means Ecuador and Germany advance to the knock-out stages from Group A, with the match between the two sides on Tuesday deciding who will top the group, while Costa Rica's final game against Poland is branded meaningless.
Los Ticos' last two World Cup finals matches have seen thirteen goals scored, many in the Central Americans' net and their defence never really looked comfortable up against a front two of Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado.
Both strikers were on the score sheet at the AOL Arena, along with substitute Ivan Kaviedes, to give the South American's the win that sees them reach the second round for the first time in their history.
Following a tentative opening few minutes, Ecuador took the lead with the first attack of note as Tenorio nodded home after great build up play around the box from the South Americans.
Delgado kept the attack alive with some close ball control before feeding Luis Valencia in the left channel and his perfectly weighted ball into the box was powered home by Tenorio to give La Tricolor the early advantage.
The subsequent 20 minutes produced little to excite as the Costa Ricans kept possession well but never forced Christian Mora to work, while Ecuador were forced to shoot from distance as they were closed down quickly by their opponents' defence.
Edison Mendez and Segundo Castillo both saw their long-range efforts blocked by sprawling defenders as Ecuador took total control of proceedings.
Their dominance in attack forced Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimares into an early change, bringing on striker Alvaro Saborio in place of Danny Fonseca, and the substitution certainly livened up the match.
After a disappointing first 40 minutes, the game really came to life in the final five minutes of the half with chances at both ends coming thick and fast.
Mora was finally forced into save, although a simple one at that as Mauricio Solis' tame shot was straight at the colourful keeper before his opposite number, Jose Porras, had to be alert at the other end.
Valencia's cross from the by-line flicked off the head of defender Luis Marin and would have ended up in the back of the net had it not been for the speedy reactions of the veteran goalkeeper.
Costa Rica's Douglas Sequeira and Delgado were then both guilty of missing glorious chances just before the break as they headed and poked wide respectively from perfect centres with the goal gaping.
Los Ticos came out in the second half clearly having been told by their coach to play a quicker style of football and it almost worked when Ronald Gomez fired narrowly wide of Mora's left post with a low shot.
However, their domination of the game last all of eight minutes as Ecuador added a second through Delgado.
The Southampton reject had just seconds earlier forced Porras to make a save from an acrobatic volley before beating the Saprissa goalkeeper at his near post.
Some neat link-up play between Delgado and Mendez on the corner of the area saw the striker go through on goal and fire a shot beyond Porras, the ball past the 35-year-old before he could react.
Costa Rica looked for an instant response to Delgado's strike and were almost back in the game five minutes later when Solis burst from midfield and forced Mora into a good save to his left.
Substitute Kaviedes thought he had his team's third with 20 minutes remaining when he finished coolly, only to see the linesman's flag up as he wheeled away to celebrate.
From that point Costa Rica tried to get back in the game but did not trouble Mora, Carlos Hernandez missing the target from distance, while Kaviedes at the other end looked as likely as anyone to bag a late goal.
Porras palmed a shot wide from the former Crystal Palace front-man, who was getting in some good positions late in the game.
Saborio almost claimed a late consolation but it was certainly Ecuador's day when Mendez and Kaviedes linked up for the latter to volley past Porras in stoppage time to complete Costa Rica's miserable day.
The result means Ecuador and Germany advance to the knock-out stages from Group A, with the match between the two sides on Tuesday deciding who will top the group, while Costa Rica's final game against Poland is branded meaningless.
