![]() Spain will look to their attacking flair to break down an often-stubborn Costa Rican defence. ![]() Safe hands: Keylor Navas catches the ball during Costa Rica’s World Cup Qualifier against New Zealand – Al Rayyan Stadium, Doha, Qatar – J At the heart of the defensive structure is Keylor Navas, the Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper who has made more than 100 appearances for his country. It is a style they have become known for in recent years and is one that frustrated several high-profile teams in 2014. “A win would give Spain confidence in the next game, where they will meet Germany.”Ĭosta Rica are expected to play a conservative brand of football. “The first match is always difficult, but on paper, Spain is the favourite to beat Costa Rica,” says Sayed Nabawy, a sports journalist specialising in Spanish football. Los Ticos have won their last five matches and notched up some impressive performances in their World Cup qualification campaign, including wins over Canada and the United States. Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar īut anyone who underestimates Costa Rica does so at their peril. Under manager Luis Enrique, Spain have enjoyed a strong run of form recently, topping their UEFA Nations League group and picking up a morale-boosting win against Portugal in September. In Spain, they will face a team that includes a mix of young promising players such as 18-year-old Gavi and 19-year-old Pedri - both midfielders - as well as seasoned veterans such as Chelsea defender César Azpilicueta. They have again drawn a difficult group this year, with Germany, Spain and Japan. ![]() Costa Rica’s players celebrate winning their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game against Greece They then knocked out Greece in the round of 16, reaching the quarter-finals, where they lost to the Netherlands on penalties. Los Ticos - as the Costa Rica side is known - will be looking to repeat their heroic performances at the 2014 World Cup, where they defied the odds and topped a group that included three World Cup winners: Uruguay, England and Italy. When: Wednesday, November 23 at 7pm (16:00 GMT) ![]()
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