Costa Rica Escapes Scare Against Suriname, Herrera Blames Defensive Errors

Costa Rica narrowly avoided a shocking upset in their 2025 Gold Cup opener, securing a dramatic 4–3 victory over Suriname thanks to a last-minute penalty. The team, coached by Miguel Herrera, had an encouraging start by taking a 2–0 lead within the first 20 minutes, appearing in control of the match. However, defensive lapses in the second half allowed Suriname to mount an unexpected comeback, leveling the score and putting significant pressure on the Costa Rican side.

After the tense finish, Herrera was candid about his team’s struggles. “We controlled the game initially, but in the second half we lost focus,” he said during the post-match press conference. “Their goals were the result of our own mistakes.”

One of the key errors came from defender Francisco Calvo, whose unfortunate slip allowed Suriname back into the game. Herrera defended Calvo’s mistake, calling it an accident and urging fans and critics to be understanding. Despite the error, Calvo remains an important figure for the team.

Looking ahead, Costa Rica faces a challenging path with upcoming matches against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday and a highly anticipated clash against Mexico on June 22 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. These fixtures will test whether Herrera’s squad can tighten their defense and perform more consistently under pressure.