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Costa Rica tops Trinidad and Tobago in penalty kicks

Cristin Granados (15) and her Costa Rican teammates react after defeating Trinidad and Tobago in a shootout in the semifinal match of the CONCACAF Women's Championship.
Cristin Granados (15) and her Costa Rican teammates react after defeating Trinidad and Tobago in a shootout in the semifinal match of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
(Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
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Costa Rica earned the team’s first trip to the World Cup and a spot in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship match by defeating Trinidad and Tobago on penalty kicks after a 1-1 semifinal draw on Friday night.

Costa Rica will face the winner of the late semifinal between the United States and Mexico in the final Sunday.

Trinidad and Tobago will play in the third-place match Sunday. The top three finishers earn World Cup bids and the fourth-place finisher will have another chance in a match against Ecuador next month.

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Costa Rica jumped out to the lead in the 18th minute when Wendy Acosta fed a charging Carolina Venegas atop the box to beat Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kimika Forbes.

Trinidad and Tobago evened the match at 1 in the 73rd minute on Lauryn Hutchinson’s header off a free kick.

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