Alvaro Saborio's dream of reaching the World Cup finals in South Africa is over.

The on-loan striker's country Costa Rica lost their two-legged play-off with Uruguay by an aggregate scoreline of 2-1.

Already trailing 1-0 from the home leg on Sunday, the Ticos needed a display of mammoth proportions to book their place in the 2010 World Cup.

And it was hosts Uruguay who struck first in this morning's second leg tie, Sebastian Abreu bagging the goal.

Walter Centeno restored hope for the visitors four minutes later with an away goal, stabbed in after Alvaro's shot had been parried by the keeper.

But Uruguay held out in seven minutes of added on time to book their place on the plane flight to South Africa.

Alvaro, who only played the final 22 minutes of the game as a substitute, now faces a race against time to return to the City squad ahead of Saturday's trip to West Brom.

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