The proceedings began with plenty of niggling fouls by either side as they felt each other out in the first ten minutes.

The first real chance fell to Costa Rica midfielder Cristian Bolanos, who cut inside from the right, but his curling effort was straight at Lazio shot stopper Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal.

However, events took a dramatic turn on 22 minutes. Diego Forlan nearly scored a spectacular goal with a one-time that flashed across the face of goal, that was put out for a corner. From the set-piece, Forlan got his head to the ball and the Ticos defence failed to clear the danger, allowing centre-back Lugano to latch onto the loose ball and tap home from close range.

Despite initially looking shocked by the setback, Costa Rica had the better of the play in the last twenty minutes of the first 45 minutes. Bolanos, who had been one of the bright spots for the home side, put in a cross that was just too long for strikers Brian Ruiz and Alvaro Saborio.

The active Forlan did well to keep possession of 40 minutes, but his eventual attempt was well blocked. Meanwhile, Ruiz was becoming more and more involved to the delight of the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.

A brilliant ball over the top by Randall Azofeifa found the Twente striker, but his looping header landed on top of the net with Muslera stranded as the half came to a close.

Costa Rica were fired up in the second-half to find an equaliser and winger Esteban Sirias made headway down the left and put in a tantalising cross. It was cut out by the defence, possibly with the use of a hand, but the referee waved play on.

A crucial moment occurred soon after, as the hosts were reduced to ten men. Randall Azofeifa was sent off for a second bookable offence in midfield.

Despite the numerical setback, Bolanos saw his effort skip just wide of the far post on 56 minutes and Saborio laid the ball off nicely for Walter Centeno – although the shot was too close to Muslera – it was a routine save.

Forlan went on a trademark run, darting into the box, but he amazingly blazed it well over the ball after doing the hard work.

Substitute Rolando Fonseca added some much needed creativity to the Ticos strike force. He spun past Diego Godin and hit a dangerous low cross which took a deflection and landed just wide of the goal with everyone watching.

After that, Costa Rica visibly began to tire and Uruguay almost managed second goal in injury time when Rodrigo Fernandez had his header cleared off the line.

In the end Uruguay are much closer of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and Costa Rica have a mountain to climb in Montevideo on Wednesday night, despite a never-say-die attitude in the first-leg.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://goal.com/en-us/news/82/south-america/2009/11/14/1625883/costa-rica-0-1-uruguay-lugano-goal-brings-south-americans

Ecuadorians tie the only time in which they reached the bow of Dos Santos. But River did not change its game and the winning goal was on the feet of Cordoba.

Now we have to go to Quito, Ecuador where they become stronger, with an own goal, but knowing that win or tie, River goes to the final of the South American Cup.

Stadium: Estadio Centenario. Referee: Carlos Simon. Lines Altemir Hausmann and Roberto Braatz (Brazil). River Plate: Luciano Dos Santos, Diego Sosa, Ronaldo Conceicao, Mauricio Prieto, Gonzalo Porras Mario Rizotto, Diego Silva (76 ‘Luis Torrecillas), John Varela (71′ Andresinho), Federico Puppo, Jorge Cordova and Richard Porta (45 ‘ Jorge Zambrana). Head Coach: Juan Ramon Carrasco. Substitutes: Ernesto Hernandez, Sergio Bica, Timshel Tabarez and Leandro Silva. Liga de Quito: Alexander Dominguez, Jairo Campos, Norberto Araujo, Carlos Espinola, Neicer Reasco (Renan Calle), Ulises de la Cruz, William Araujo (80 ‘Cristian Lara), Diego Armando Calderon, Edison Mendez, Claudio Graf (64′ Victor Estupiñan) and Claudio Bieler. Head Coach: Jorge Fossati. Replacements: Francisco Cevallos, Pedro Romo, Neder Bolaños, Franklin Salas. Goals: 8 ‘Richard Porta (RP), 33′ Edison Mendez (LDQ), 59 ‘Jorge Cordova (RP) ..

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.uruguaydailynews.com/news.php?viewStory=3865

“They have spent more than four months saying that they would debate and when we agree to be there they go backwards accusing us of straining the electoral environment, when the truth is that FA leaders have been constantly attacking us since 28 July to date. I have been called “lap dog” by Senator Mujica, he attempted to discredit us throughout the country and during the whole campaign. He has just said that if there is no other choice he will talk with Dr. Lacalle.

The institutionalism of policital parties is not being recognized, “said Larrañaga. On the other hand, Mujica said that if former President Jorge Batlle retracts his earlier statements on alleged links between FA presidential candidate and accountant Feldman, he could consider changing his decision of not debating.

According to Mujica, everything that PN members said about the Feldman case aimed at avoiding the participation of his party in the debate; Mujica also said that he was in favor of debating “without conditions”.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.uruguaydailynews.com/news.php?viewStory=3862

One objective is to strengthen the role of Banco Central del Uruguay (BCU) Superintendence of Financial Services, which oversees banks, insurance companies, stockbrokers and fund managers Interim Savings.

The funds will allow personnel training and also access to new technologies. By improving the functions of BCU Superintendence, Uruguay will seek to adopt international standards in all areas of financial oversight.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.uruguaydailynews.com/news.php?viewStory=3864

A 22nd-minute goal from defender Diego Lugano secured the win for Uruguay, who finished fifth in South American qualifying and had to play-off with Costa Rica from the CONCACAF region.

Costa Rica’s task of turning the game around was made harder after Randall Azofeifa was sent off in the 53rd minute for a second yellow card.

The result gives two-times World Cup winners Uruguay a strong advantage going into Wednesday’s second leg in Montevideo.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_uruguay-get-advantage-with-1-0-win-in-costa-rica_1312068

The second leg of the tie will be held on Wednesday in Montevideo, where Costa Rica can expect to struggle to turn things around.

Uruguay are hoping to return to the global football showcase after losing their qualification play-off to Australia in the 2006 event.

Costa Rica, who have appeared in the past two World Cups, were less than 30 seconds from qualifying last month when they allowed Jonathan Bornstein’s goal in injury time to give the United States a 2-2 draw at Washington.

That gave Honduras the third and final direct entry berth from the North and Central America and the Caribbean region.

Uruguay reached the play-off by finishing fifth in South American qualifying.

In African qualifying, Egypt’s last-gasp goal against Algeria set up a one-match play-off between the two teams for a place in next year’s final, while Nigeria and Cameroon both secured spots in South Africa.

Algeria were just moments away from qualifying, but a goal late in stoppage time from Emad Meteab gave Egypt a 2-0 win in Cairo and put both teams level on points and goal difference in group C. They will meet again on Wednesday in Sudan to decide the group winner.

Earlier on Saturday, Obafemi Martins scored twice to help Nigeria come from behind and edge Kenya 3-2, and Cameroon secured their group victory by beating Morocco 2-0. But Tunisia lost 1-0 to Mozambique and will miss out on football’s top tournament.

In group A, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions secured the top spot with 13 points, four clear of Gabon, to reach the finals for the sixth time, a record for an African country.

In group E, Ivory Coast had already secured a ticket for the World Cup but ended their qualifying campaign on a high note with a 3-0 victory over Guinea.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/soccer/uruguay-sitting-pretty-for-cup-berth-20091116-igkl.html

However this “does not mean that Argentina will be left in an uncomfortable position”.

Reichler quoted by the Uruguayan press said the ruling will most probably state that the pulp mill does not violate the Uruguay/Argentina joint administration treaty of the River Uruguay, as claimed by Argentina to demand the immediate re-location of the plant, but it will also include a chapter underlining Argentina’s concern with the environment impact and its responsibility in the issue.

“Argentina complied with its duties before its own people”, said Reichler.

“The resolution will be positive for both sides for having tried to solve the conflict. “Winning or loosing is less relevant than the fact that it will put an end to the ongoing controversy in a fair and just form opening the way for the resumption of a normal relation between the neighbouring countries, which is what really matters”, pointed out Reichler from Foley & Hoag, Boston who represent Uruguay in The Hague.

The final ruling is expected to be drafted in February next year and made public sometime in April/May.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://en.mercopress.com/2009/11/16/the-hague-ruling-on-botnia-pulp-mill-controversy-will-favour-uruguay

“You can’t legislate to call elections (in Uruguay) for the Mercosur parliament. We need a constitutional amendment which must also be approved by a referendum”, said Lacalle during a meeting with foreign correspondents.

“So luckily we’ll be out of the Mercosur Parliament…and that’s when the death of the organization will begin, hopefully, the sooner the quicker”, said the opposition candidate who will be facing incumbent and former guerrilla leader Jose Pepe Mujica.

The Mercosur Parliament was established in 2006 but has had since shown lack of capacity, influence and effectiveness to address issues in a block that has been dominated by trade disputes and conflicts between country members.

According to the latest opinion polls released this week, Mr. Mujica is nine points ahead of Lacalle (49% to 40%). In the first round at the end of October the ruling catch all coalition Broad Front managed to retain control of Parliament but was half a percentage point short of the 50% plus one required for the Presidency.

Lacalle also anticipated he would not dialogue with Argentina as long as pickets from that country insist in blocking an international bridge to protest the construction of a pulp mill that has been in production over a year now.

The dispute over the location of the Botnia pulp mill on the Uruguayan side of a jointly managed river was taken by Argentina to the International Court of The Hague and a definitive ruling is expected next year.

“With the bridge cut, Uruguay can’t even sit to talk, because it is a flagrant violation of international law, Mercosur agreements which besides is tolerated by the current Argentine government”, stated Lacalle.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://en.mercopress.com/2009/11/14/uruguay-will-abandon-mercosur-if-lacalle-is-elected-president

Ronald Marcenaro, Uruguayans head coach, was satisfied by the spirit the team showed and said that these kids will grow professionaly and will be great players in the future. “I believe that this generation will be able to do great things in the future. I’m sure that in the next tournament these kids will go beyond final quarters”, Marcenaro said. Uruguay x Spain:

“It was a magnificent game and we were able to show what we can do, though nobody believed in us. We had bad luck at the end, but we played with our heart and that’s very important to our country”, Marcenaro added.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://www.uruguaydailynews.com/news.php?viewStory=3848

But most polls show Senator Jose Mujica has narrowly failed to pass the 50% needed to avoid a run-off vote.

If a second round is officially confirmed, he is likely to face his main conservative rival, the former president, Luis Lacalle.

After polls closed, supporters of his ruling left-wing Broad Front Party celebrated in the capital Montevideo.

Full story and link can be found at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8325345.stm