RECIFE, Brazil (AP) - Costa Rica has turned the tables on the team's World Cup expectations.
Or at least on everyone else's expectations.
Costa Rica followed up its surprise win against Uruguay with another World Cup stunner Friday, beating four-time champion Italy 1-0 to secure a spot in the next round and eliminate England in the process.
After entering the tournament as an expected underdog in a group featuring three former world champions, Costa Rica is now on top.
"Maybe there are a lot of people who didn't have faith in us because we were in the "Group of Death,'" said Costa Rica captain Bryan Ruiz, who scored the key goal. "But the other guys are the ones who are dead and we're going to the next round."
Ruiz gave his side the lead in the 44th minute, heading in off the underside of the crossbar following a cross from Junior Diaz. Goal-line technology was used to show the ball bounced down and in after hitting the bar.
There was a frenetic end to the first half, as moments before Ruiz's goal Costa Rica had a penalty appeal waved away when striker Joel Campbell was bundled over by Giorgio Chiellini.
Costa Rica leads Group D with six points, while Italy and Uruguay have three each before Tuesday's showdown. England has zero points after losing to Italy and Uruguay.
Italy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), Uruguay (1930, 1950) and England (1966) have won a combined seven World Cups.
Costa Rica's only other appearance in the knockout phase came in its World Cup debut in 1990, when it beat Sweden and Scotland under experienced coach Bora Milutinovic before ultimately getting eliminated by Czechoslovakia.
Italy, meanwhile, can still advance with a win or even a draw with Uruguay, since it leads on goal difference which is the first qualifying criteria.