Poland look for proud exit

Poland and Costa Rica meet today in a match with no impact on the outcome of the tournament but teams still hope to salvage some respect and give their fans a little pleasure before they head home.

Germany and Ecuador have secured the two top spots in Group A whereas Poland and Costa Rica, have drawn criticism at home after two defeats and will depart after their final group match.

"This is still the World Cup, and I think all of us wants to prove something," the Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc said yesterday. "It's an important enough match for us that we have to win and are going to want to give a bit of joy to our fans. There shouldn't be any lack of motivation."

However, for the Poland coach, Pawel Janas, more than just pride may be on the line against Costa Rica. The president of the Polish FA, Michal Listkiewicz, said on Friday that Janas' future with the national team could hinge on the result.

Costa Rica and their coach, Alexandre Guimares, have also been criticised after two losses. The "Ticos" pushed Germany before losing 4-2 in their opener, then fell 3-0 to Ecuador. "It hurts, because we, the players, are the ones who have given satisfaction to our country," the captain, Mauricio Solis, said. "We do not deserve this considering what we have done for our country."

The defender Jervis Drummond was less affected by the criticism. "We have to understand that fans always expect just one thing from the team, and that is winning. Except that some times you can't win," he said.