Costa Rica’s Gold Cup debut turned into a nail-biting soap opera in San Diego, leaving fans breathless and worried in equal measure. What looked like a routine victory over Surinam almost spiraled into disaster, but the Tricolor scraped through with a dramatic 4-3 win sealed in the dying seconds by Manfred Ugalde’s nerves-of-steel penalty.

From the first whistle, the Central American giants — led by experienced shot-stopper Keylor Navas and managed by Mexican tactician Miguel Herrera — found themselves wrestling with Surinam’s surprising grit and aggression. An early goal from Alonso Martínez, beautifully assisted by Brandon Aguilera, seemed to promise a comfortable night. Moments later, Ugalde doubled the lead with a composed penalty, and fans in the Snapdragon Stadium probably thought the match was in the bag.

They thought wrong. Defensive lapses, especially from Francisco Calvo, cracked open the door for Surinam to mount a relentless comeback. Gyrano Kerk soared above a sleepy backline to pull one back with a thumping header. Minutes later, calamity struck again — Calvo’s slip let Kerk break free, setting up Richonell Margaret for the equalizer that left Costa Rican supporters stunned.

The meltdown wasn’t over. Orlando Galo’s clumsy handball was confirmed by VAR, and Shaquille Pinas calmly flipped the script, firing Surinam into an improbable lead. By then, frustration, panic and disbelief rippled through Herrera’s dugout and the fans back home.

But this Costa Rica is not short on character. With fifteen minutes to go, Josimar Alcócer reignited hope with a scrappy equalizer, pouncing on chaos in the box to level the score at 3-3. Still, the night had more twists in store. Promising young forward Warren Madrigal, playing for his future as much as his country, fell injured and left the field in tears, forcing La Sele to finish a man down, with all substitutions exhausted.

When it seemed Surinam might snatch a famous draw — or worse — Costa Rica found salvation in the form of a last gasp penalty. Ugalde, ice in his veins, stepped up under excruciating pressure and buried the spot kick to rescue three priceless points for a shaken squad.

Keylor Navas, the Paris Saint-Germain keeper, once again proved why he is still the backbone of Costa Rican football, making crucial saves that kept the Ticos alive amid defensive chaos.

As the dust settles, questions loom larger than celebrations. Can Herrera fix a porous backline in time? Will Warren Madrigal recover quickly? Can the Ticos regain the composure needed to challenge regional heavyweights like Mexico?

One thing is certain: if Costa Rica dreams of lifting their first Gold Cup trophy, they must tighten up — and fast. Their next test comes Wednesday against an ambitious Dominican Republic side at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Expect fireworks — and hopefully, less drama.