The retirement of icon Paulo Cesar Wanchope left the Costa Rican national team with a void out on the pitch and a lack of out-and-out star power. As a result, the side has struggled in their first steps toward the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. After drawing Caribbean upstarts Grenada 2-2 on the road in St George's in the CONCACAF second round first leg, the Ticos won the return fixture 3-0 at home (5-2 on aggregate) to book passage to the first group stage, where they will meet El Salvador, Haiti and Suriname.