International Notebook: Wallace's Costa Rica wins Copa Centroamericana

Timbers defender/midfielder Rodney Wallace helped the Costa Rica national team to a 1-0 victory over regional rival Honduras in the final of the 2013 Copa Centroamericana on Sunday evening. After powering the Ticos with the game-winning goal in their 1-0 semi-final win over El Salvador Friday, Wallace was in head coach Jorge Luis Pinto's Starting XI for the final in San Jose, Costa Rica alongside Real Salt Lake's Alvaro Saborio. Honduras boasted MLS' Boniek García from Houston, New England’s Jerry Bengtson, San Jose Earthquakes’s Víctor Bernárdez and Seattle’s Mario Martínez. Crew striker Jairo Arrieta appeared in second half stoppage time for Costa Rica. 

READ: Wallace scores for Costa Rica in Copa Centroamericana

The match, played in front of a large Tico-friendly crowd at the Estadio Nacional, was close throughout. Saborio had a number of chances in the first half but it was defender Giancarlo Gonzalez who put Costa Rica ahead for good in the 37th minute. 

Wallace will re-join his Timbers teammates later this month following Costa Rica's World Cup qualifier against Panama on Feb. 6.

The bi-annual Copa Centroamericana tournament is a gathering of the Central American members of CONCACAF. The top five teams from the seven team tournament--Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, and Panama--qualify for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup to be played in the United States.