Nations League Showdown in San José

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After Friday’s 1-1 draw away to Suriname, Costa Rica returns to the comforts of home to face off against Guatemala on Wednesday evening, aiming to break a two-match winless streak. La Sele will be eager to right the wrongs of last month’s goalless draw against Los Chapines and deliver a comprehensive victory over a nation positioned 58 places below them at 107th in the FIFA World Rankings.

Los Ticos are assured of a top-four finish and place in Gold Cup qualification, but they are now looking to secure a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals with a top-two finish, knowing that they will be guaranteed a quarter-final spot if they win this tie.

The clash also serves as a battle for the top place in CONCACAF Nations League A, with Guatemala currently sitting at the summit after three fixtures on seven points, while Costa Rica sits just behind in second place with five points.

Guatemala Profile

Bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the south, Guatemala is often referred to as the “Land of Eternal Spring” (“La Tierra de la Eterna Primavera”) due to its pleasant, mild climate throughout much of the year.

The nation has a proud footballing history since its first international fixture in 1921, including winning the1967Gold Cup. Sadly, in recent years, this has been somewhat blighted by numerous debacles, including being banned from international football matches from 2016 to 2018 due to governance issues within the Football Federation.

Nonetheless, for the most populated country in Central America (with 18 million inhabitants), where football is by far the most popular sport, better days may be on the horizon, and they might finally deliver on the potential that has long seen them labeled ‘the sleeping giant of Concacaf.’ In 2024, Los Chapines have produced a steady set of results, recording five victories, four defeats, and four draws.

Guatemala possesses multiple high-quality players; goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen and defender Aaron Herrera ply their trades for MLS outfits Columbus Crew and D.C. United. Striker Rubio Rubín is the main attacking threat; the one-time USA international who currently plays for Querétaro in Mexico scored the country’s opener against Martinique and has an impressive 10 goals in 24 international appearances. Tricky wingers Nathaniel Mendez-Laing of English Championship side Derby County and Oscar Santis of Dinamo Tbilisi also have a lot of pace and skills that can trouble the Los Ticos backline.

Coached by experienced Mexican Luis Fernando Tena since 2021, his appointment has brought much-needed stability to a nation engulfed in chaos. Tena focuses on a cohesive team setup, emphasizing defensive discipline, organized structure, and tactical awareness. This approach has produced steady results, with a credible 17 wins out of 41 matches during his tenure, in addition to Guatemala currently leading the Nations League group.

There will also be a couple of familiar faces to followers of the Costa Rican leagues, with Rodrigo Saravia of A.D. Municipal Pérez Zeledón and Darwin Lom of C.S. Cartaginés (teammates of La Sele reserve goalkeeper Kevin Briceño) both part of the Guatemalan squad.

Costa Rica Team News

Josimar Alcocer will serve his suspension after being shown a straight red card in the 1-1 draw with Suriname, with Alonso Martínez his likely replacement. Midfielder Jefferson Brenes will also be missing due to a muscle tear, and Brandon Aguilera and Sebastián Acuña will battle it out to deputize for him.

Possible Starting 11

Sequeira; Mitchell, Vargas, Calvo (C), Taylor, Aguilera, Bran, Lassiter; Martínez, Ugalde, Madrigal.

Head-to-Head History

Guatemala will feel like a familiar foe, having faced off against Costa Rica just 30 days ago in Guatemala City, which finished in a 0-0 draw; as a result, Los Ticos haven’t defeated Los Chapines in any of their last three encounters, with the last victory coming back in 2014.

The two nations have played each other 65 times, with their first encounter coming in 1921, with La Sele winning 32, Guatemala 17, and the remaining 16 meetings ending in draws.

Kick-off is at 20:00 CDT (20:00 UTC−6) on October 15th at Estadio Nacional in San José, Costa Rica.

By Isaac Roblett

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