Yahoo Movies Costa Rica World Cup 2022 results, squad list, fixtures and latest odds
Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez said he would try to rally his shattered team after their 7-0 thrashing by Spain at the start of their World Cup campaign in Qatar on Wednesday.
"We couldn't get the ball and there was nothing in attack from us," Suarez told reporters. "I have to admit that we were bad and we all have to take account of what happened."
Costa Rica, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2014, failed to record a single shot on goal against Spain and now face Japan and Germany in their remaining Group E games.
"We are worried that the group won't get out this hole that we are in," Suarez, who is Colombian, said. "I hope that we can short things out and start working from tomorrow before Japan."
Costa Rica World Cup 2022 squad
Costa Rica announced their World Cup squad on November 4, with a blend of youth and experience. Veteran ex-Sunderland and Everton defender Bryan Oviedo, former Fulham midfielder Bryan Ruiz and ex-Arsenal forward Joel Campbell have all been included.
A number of players with less than 10 caps, including Nottingham Forest's Brandon Aguilera, have also made the cut.
There have been some surprise omissions, with former Celtic right back Cristian Gamboa and Belgian second-tier winger Alonso Martinez left out.
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado, Aaron Cruz, Patrick Sequeira
Defenders: Juan Pablo Vargas, Keysher Fuller, Oscar Duarte, Bryan Oviedo, Francisco Calvo, Kendall Watson, Carlos Martinez, Carlos Mora, Celso Borges
Midfieders: Jewison Bennette, Bryan Ruiz, Daniel Chacon, Anthony Hernandez, Douglas Lopez, Aaron Suarez, Gerson Torres, Orlando Galo, Roan Wilson, Alvaro Zamora, Brandon Aguilera
Forwards: Anthony Contreras, Johan Venegas, Joel Campbell
Who is likely to be the star name in the squad?
Had World Cup 2022 be played in the summer as usual programming dictates, the accepted wisdom would have made Keylor Navas the squad standout. Six months later, the Paris St-Germain goalkeeper has struggled with back injury over the summer, and been demoted to second-choice keeper, with Gianluigi Donnarumma favoured as No 1.
This could mean Navas has difficulty with fitness in the run-up to Qatar, having had a move to Napoli this season thrown out due a chasm between current and future earnings.
Instead, attention might drift higher up the field, to Jewison Bennette. At only 18, the left-winger has already put in some persuasive performances for his national team during qualifying, and signed for Sunderland over the summer. He has scored once in nine substitute appearances in the Championship.
What are Costa Rica's fixtures and results?
Group E
November 23: Spain 7 Costa Rica 0
November 27: Japan vs Costa Rica
December 1: Costa Rica vs Germany
What is Costa Rica's World Cup record?
This is the sixth World Cup that Costa Rica have qualified for, with their highest finish coming in 2014. They reached the quarter-finals in Rio, after victories over Italy and Uruguay and a draw against England in the group stage, and a win against Greece, before going out on penalties in Salvador against Netherlands.
Argentina | Australia | Belgium | Brazil | Cameroon | Canada | Costa Rica | Croatia | Denmark | Ecuador | England | France | Germany | Ghana | Iran | Japan | Mexico | Morocco | Netherlands | Poland | Portugal | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Serbia | South Korea | Spain | Switzerland | Tunisia | Uruguay | USA | Wales
Latest odds
Costa Rica are currently a best price of 5000/1 to win the World Cup.
