Reasons why Costa Rica can defeat New Zealand in World Cup qualifying playoff
The CONCACAF side will fight for the last spot to qualify for the 2022 World Cup that is scheduled to start in November in Qatar.
There is only one spot left to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Costa Rica will play on Tuesday against New Zealand in a single elimination game at Ahmad Bin Ali stadium. Both teams have been in Qatar since early-last week so they can get used to the extreme weather conditions in Doha although they have also been training in the air-conditioned stadium to avoid heat exhaustion.
Winner takes all in last game of World Cup qualification
The oddsmakers in Las Vegas, Nevada have put Costa Rica as the heavy favorites and one of the reasons is because they have one of the best goalkeepers in the last decade, Keylor Navas. The 35-year-old wants to play one more World Cup with Los Ticos because if they don’t qualify he will retire from international duty.
Costa Rica’s roster includes several players that made history in the 2014 FIFA World Cup when they reached the quarter-final for the first time but lost to the Netherlandsin a penalty shoot-out. Navas, Óscar Duarte, Celso Borges, Bryan Ruíz and Joel Campbell are experienced players that know what it is like to play and win single elimination games.
New Zealand had two preparation matches prior to traveling to Qatar for the World Cup qualifying playoff and they lost 1-0 against Peru and finished with a scoreless draw against Oman. On the other hand, Costa Rica lost 2-0 against Panama but defeated Martinique in the inaugural matches of the CONCACAF Nations League.
New Zealand has lost their last two World Cup qualifying playoffs and the last time they secured a spot was in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In 2014 the All Whites lost against Mexico and four years later they lost against Peru. A team from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL prevented them from qualifying to the most popular sporting event in the world.
Last but not least, the level in CONCACAF is more competitive than the one in the Oceania Football Confederation. Most of New Zealand’s football clubs are semi-professional and Costa Rica is the first team in Central America to assist to five World Cups, they could make it to their sixth if they defeat the All Whites on Tuesday.