Fans vent fury as Egypt crash out

CAIRO // Angry fans hurled plastic water bottles at Egypt's Under 20 players after the host team crashed out of the World Cup with a shock 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica on Tuesday. Their Czech coach Miroslav Soukup said: "This is the first game where we couldn't score. We have been scoring well in all our other games. But today we attacked and had no luck."

Costa Rica captain Jose Mena scored the opening goal after 21 minutes with a diving header to silence more than 60,000 home fans at Cairo International Stadium. Esteban Alvarado then made some outstanding saves as his team spent most of the match defending before Marcos Urena added the second two minutes from time with a powerfully struck shot past Egyptian keeper Aly Lofti. "The first goal affected us and the changes we made failed to change the result," added Soukup. "They defended with six or seven players at the back and we couldn't get through. They were very fast on the break and it's the counter- attacks that cost us the game."

Egypt were the third of the fancied teams to suffer a shock exit after Italy ousted Spain on Monday, and the Czech Republic were beaten on penalties by Hungary. Adam Balajti struck the winning penalty - after Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi saved three spot kicks, while the Czechs' Tomas Vaclik saved two. The game finished level at 2-2 after extra time. Costa Rica will play the UAE in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

"This was a great night for us, a magic atmosphere for the players," the Costa Rica coach Ronald Gonzalez said. "We have a team that is mentally strong." Also on Tuesday night, Dominic Adiyiah scored in extra time to give Ghana a 2-1 win over South Africa in Ismaila. Kermit Erasmus, the highly rated Feyenoord striker put South Africa ahead in the 58th minute, beating Ghana's defence and rounding goalkeeper Daniel Agyei to prompt wild celebrations on the team's bench and a somersault from Erasmus.

Andre Ayew equalised with a header in the in the 66th minute, and Adiyiah hit a brilliant dipping shot from 25 yards in the ninth minute of extra time to send Ghana through to the last eight. Most of the fans at Isamailia stadium were military conscripts dressing in brightly coloured overalls who unfurled giant flags of the two African nations in the stands. "I think overall, my team were the stronger side, but we didn't start very well," Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh said. "When you reach the knockout stage, the games become harder and South Africa certainly made it tough for us."

In the matches to be played tomorrow Ghana face South Korea, while Hungary play Italy. * AP