The Costa Rican Soccer Federation confirmed yesterday that former assistant coach Rodrigo Kenton will take the reins of the national team after the federation sacked increasingly unpopular head coach Hernán Medford late last week.

Kenton, 53, who led Costa Rica at two recent World Cup appearances, stepped down Saturday as coach of Guatemala's under-20s team to take over from the leader of a Tico side that has fallen out with many of its own fans and national press.

Medford saw the Ticos through a long winless streak that finally ended with a June 21 victory over Grenada.

“My wish is to do a good job and have a work group that knows how to interpret the coach's philosophy on the field and that has personality in the game,” Kenton told reporters.