The heart wrenching final match between Nosara’s Finca Austria and Siquirreña had everyone on the edge of their seats. It was not until the sixth minute replacement and only seconds from the final whistle that Luis "Pato" Dinarte appeared to save Nosara’s team from certain defeat and devastate the Caribbeans, who couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. The title they thought they’d won suddenly escaping their grasp, "Pato’s" goal tied up the series 3 x 3 and forced them to extend the match 30 minutes.
In what was the biggest crowd of Nosareños in history, you could see everything from the typical loudmouths to the humblest of Nosareños jumping and screaming at the top of their lungs, with shouts of "Yes You Can" Nosara shook the stands but by the end of the second half, many had lost hope. Their eyes said it all, it was enough to just make eye contact and you could see the defeat on their faces, some didn’t even wait for the final whistle before the tears were flowing.
While the shadow of defeat ran through the bleachers, the players were battling their greatest enemy, time. Every second of the last few minutes seemed an eternity until the sweet victory of the last goal came and brought with it hope and madness.
Almost immediately after Luis Dinarte’s goal, the referee blew the whistle and ended regular time, signaling 30 minutes of overtime. Both teams were starting from scratch; the twenty-two players had to make a real physical and mental effort to become champions.
The team and the fans of Siquirres were greatly affected by the blow they received at the end of the second half and it was there that Nosara outbred their competitors. This is what makes a finale, they never underestimated their opponents but they didn’t let themselves be defined by them either.
Angelo Rodriguez scored the winning goal.
The star player Angelo Rodriguez, who came in the game early in the second half, was exactly what they needed in the midst of so much tension to face the Siquirres goalie. Finishing strong with a little extra fantasy, his final kick went flying over the goalkeeper’s head. This goal gave the title temporarily to Nosara and then it was up to Siquirres to fight the clock; their legs were no longer working and they were beginning to notice a dip in the encouraging shouts from the stands. It was the end of Siquirres but a great time for Nosara. The ref blew the whistle and Nosara erupted in joy.
The fans had endured 120 minutes of surprises but when the final whistle blew, all took to the field in search of their heroes; hugs, tears, prayers and cries overtook the stadium where everyone ran aimlessly, and the media tried amongst the shouts and chants, to locate the main architects of such a feat.
The awards show was rather austere, each player received a medal. First were the Siquirreños, who paraded frustrated and saddened to receive the cup that accredited them as the runner up. Next came the brand new champions to receive their respective medals and the coveted crown.
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