Costa Rica edges Panama in thrilling match

PANAMA CITY, Panama, August 23, 2014 –Costa Rica won a thrilling five setter over hosts Panama 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-12)in the nightcap of the opening day of the II U23 Men’s Central American Championship at José “Beto” Remón of Panama City.

César Gomez and Alberto Blanco contributed 19 and 12 points, respectively, in the victory. For Panama, José González had a match-high 20 points while Noriel Fuentes added 16.

“Panama caught us off guard, we didn’t know them but at the end the experience won the match”, Costa Rica’s coach Cesar Salas said. “To say the true it was a final in advance, but this is only the first day and Panama can recover from it.”

Eric Lutero, coach of Panama, said his team is a new one, unknown in the zone but at the end the experience of Costa Rica was the difference and at the same time they were physically tired.”

“We slowed down in our desire,” the Panamanian Gonzalez said. “It was not the result that we expected, but the competition is just beginning.”