URUGUAY vs. COSTA RICA
Date: June 14, 2014
Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza
Overall Head-to-Head Record (W-L-T): 6-0-2 Uruguay
Last Match: 2010 World Cup Qualifying (Inter-Confederation Playoff). Uruguay tied Costa Rica 1-1.
Line: Uruguay -260
Group D Preview here.
Starting Lineups posted separately once they're announced.
Team Profiles
World Ranking: Uruguay (7th), Costa Rica (28th)
Managers: Oscar Tabarez (URU), Jorge Luis Pinto (CRC)
Captains: Diego Lugano (URU), Bryan Ruiz (CRC)
World Cup Appearances: 12 (URU), 4 (CRC)
Best Finish: Uruguay (2x Champions, Last in 1950), Costa Rica (Round of 16, 1990)
Qualifying Records: Uruguay (8-5-5, GF: 30, GA: 25), Costa Rica (8-4-4, GF: 27, GA: 12)
Pre-Tournament Game Results
Uruguay
June 4th - Uruguay def. Slovenia 2-0
Costa Rica
June 6th - Costa Rica tied Ireland 1-1
Rosters
Injuries/Discipline
Uruguay: Luis Suarez (Out - Knee)
Costa Rica: Heiner Mora (Out - Permanently replaced by David Myrie)
Overview
The best player in Group D will be in the stands for the first Group D match as Luis Suarez continues to recover from meniscus surgery last month.
Ruled out by the Uruguay camp for this game, the hope is that Suarez will be fit to play against England in 5 days time. Costa Rica will take little comfort though with Suarez out with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Cristian Rodriguez and potentially Diego Forlan still to deal with.
A surprise 4th place finisher in the 2010 World Cup, Uruguay will be looking to top that with a squad made up of many of the same players. Even without Suarez there are a number of attacking options to fit their unique 4-2-2-2 style and they should still see an offensive explosion at the Costa Rican goal. Their defensive end coverage leaves a lot to be desired though.
The heavy underdogs in a group some see as a group of death, Costa Rica have been hampered by injury in the lead up to the tournament, absent 3 potential starters in Mora, Alvaro Saborio and Bryan Oviedo. Tactically, Costa Rica are one of the stranger teams in the tournament as they will periodically rotate between a defensive 2-3-5 and an offensive 3-4-3 depending on what they want to do. I imagine we will see both today as the best defence against Uruguay may be a big offence of their own.
These teams haven't played in five years but Costa Rica will be out for blood. Their last match ended in a draw for the last 2010 qualification spot that went to Uruguay. One more Costa Rican and they would have been in South Africa instead of Uruguay making their semifinal run.
Personnel
In the Uruguayan Third: Uruguay has success in spite of their back line, not because of it. Lugano and Godin are big names in the centre but haven't always played well for their country and they are weak on the wings. Costa Rica are missing some top players up front but I would expect them to go 3-4-3 at times and create some confusion amongst the Uruguayan defence. Advantage: Even
In the Midfield: Both teams have some playmakers in the centre, in particular Gargano (URU) and Borges (CRC). Uruguay should enjoy the better of possession though and while Costa Rica will go forward in numbers, I expect them to be more passive when Uruguay have the ball and give a bit more room to operate. Advantage: Uruguay
In the Costa Rican Third: No Suarez, No Problem. While Uruguay would love to have their top player, they have enough weaponry up front to create plenty of chances on goal. Costa Rica had the best defensive record in CONCACAF qualifying but no team in North America brings the sheer talent and technical skill up front that Uruguay have. Advantage: Uruguay
Goalkeeping: Two excellent goalkeepers in this game. Muslera gets more recognition having been through the 2010 cup run and playing for a giant in Galatasaray but Keylor Navas played a huge role in Costa Rica's defensive success in qualifying and was also one of the top goalkeepers in Spain this year. Levante finished middle of the table with a great defensive record largely due to his play. Advantage: Even
Ruled out by the Uruguay camp for this game, the hope is that Suarez will be fit to play against England in 5 days time. Costa Rica will take little comfort though with Suarez out with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Cristian Rodriguez and potentially Diego Forlan still to deal with.
A surprise 4th place finisher in the 2010 World Cup, Uruguay will be looking to top that with a squad made up of many of the same players. Even without Suarez there are a number of attacking options to fit their unique 4-2-2-2 style and they should still see an offensive explosion at the Costa Rican goal. Their defensive end coverage leaves a lot to be desired though.
The heavy underdogs in a group some see as a group of death, Costa Rica have been hampered by injury in the lead up to the tournament, absent 3 potential starters in Mora, Alvaro Saborio and Bryan Oviedo. Tactically, Costa Rica are one of the stranger teams in the tournament as they will periodically rotate between a defensive 2-3-5 and an offensive 3-4-3 depending on what they want to do. I imagine we will see both today as the best defence against Uruguay may be a big offence of their own.
These teams haven't played in five years but Costa Rica will be out for blood. Their last match ended in a draw for the last 2010 qualification spot that went to Uruguay. One more Costa Rican and they would have been in South Africa instead of Uruguay making their semifinal run.
Personnel
In the Uruguayan Third: Uruguay has success in spite of their back line, not because of it. Lugano and Godin are big names in the centre but haven't always played well for their country and they are weak on the wings. Costa Rica are missing some top players up front but I would expect them to go 3-4-3 at times and create some confusion amongst the Uruguayan defence. Advantage: Even
In the Midfield: Both teams have some playmakers in the centre, in particular Gargano (URU) and Borges (CRC). Uruguay should enjoy the better of possession though and while Costa Rica will go forward in numbers, I expect them to be more passive when Uruguay have the ball and give a bit more room to operate. Advantage: Uruguay
In the Costa Rican Third: No Suarez, No Problem. While Uruguay would love to have their top player, they have enough weaponry up front to create plenty of chances on goal. Costa Rica had the best defensive record in CONCACAF qualifying but no team in North America brings the sheer talent and technical skill up front that Uruguay have. Advantage: Uruguay
Goalkeeping: Two excellent goalkeepers in this game. Muslera gets more recognition having been through the 2010 cup run and playing for a giant in Galatasaray but Keylor Navas played a huge role in Costa Rica's defensive success in qualifying and was also one of the top goalkeepers in Spain this year. Levante finished middle of the table with a great defensive record largely due to his play. Advantage: Even
Uruguay will win if:
They can create scoring chances through the midfield as opposed to operating in the Costa Rica penalty area. With three centre backs, Costa Rica can clog the area and make opportunities difficult but they can leave the centre of the field in front of their area open. Uruguay scored goal after goal from this spot in 2010 and should find plenty of opportunities there in this one. Also need to be defensively responsible, not just on the wings pushing forward but in the midfielders getting back as Costa Rica will fly forward when they get a chance.
Costa Rica will win if:
They can be as offensively aggressive as Uruguay is without creating too many holes on the back end. 2-3-5 may be more sensible against this opponent but Uruguay can struggle when they are pressured and their lack of soundness defensively is compounded when they turn the ball over in the midfield. Costa Rica isn't necessarily fit to be in a shootout type of game but that might be their best strategy for success in this one.
Prediction
Costa Rica is better defensively then people might give it credit for and have a dynamite goalkeeper. too many injuries to their goal scorers though and I think the lack of technical skill catches up to them. Both teams score but at least 1 late goal puts Uruguay over the top.
Uruguay 3-1 Costa Rica
Costa Rica is better defensively then people might give it credit for and have a dynamite goalkeeper. too many injuries to their goal scorers though and I think the lack of technical skill catches up to them. Both teams score but at least 1 late goal puts Uruguay over the top.
Uruguay 3-1 Costa Rica
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