Our first look at the teams in Group D starts with underdogs, Costa Rica. Jorge Luis Pinto’s men kick off their campaign against Uruguay on Saturday June 14 at 8pm, then square up to Italy six days later at 5pm before taking on England in their final group match on Tuesday June 24 at 5pm:
Roy Hodgson’s troops will be hoping that the Costa Ricans stick to the script and accept whipping boy status but “The Ticos” can, however, be stubborn opponents. While they may lack the luminaries of Italy, Uruguay and England, they are capable of presenting a well-organised barrier which could frustrate opponents if an early goal fails to materialise. Costa Rica may not qualify but, unlike any of their opponents, can take to the field without the weight of expectations and are likely to have a big say in who does make it through.
Road to Qualification
The Ticos progressed from the CONCACAF qualifying stages after battling their way through a couple of groups. Finishing second to Mexico in a four-team group that also included El Salvador and Guyana, they then ended runners-up the USA, winning five and drawing three of their 10 games in a group that also contained Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Jamaica.
Pinto set his side with a solid foundation, earning them a reputation as a largely defensive outfit which fed off counter-attacks: they allowed just seven goals in – fewer than any other side in their qualifying group.
Most Starts Giancarlo Gonzalez, Bryan Ruiz (10), Michael Umana, Cristian Gamboa (9), Keylor Navas, Christian Bolanos (8), Celso Borges, Joel Campbell (7)
Most Goals Bryan Ruiz (3), Celso Borges (2)
The Key Targets
Since qualifying for the World Cup, the Costa Ricans have mainly failed to impress in recent friendlies. Tasting defeat to Australia, Chile and South Korea without a single goal scored, they managed to overcome Paraguay 2-1 in early March to give themselves a crumb of comfort. In all likelihood, Fantasy managers will steer well clear of their main assets, with the appeal perhaps limited to those willing to take a real punt.
Between the posts, Keylar Navas can expect to be a busy man. The Levante keeper is regarded as one of the very best in La Liga and his displays are likely to be key to his side’s prospects, with plenty of saves looking on the cards – he’ll set you back 4.9 in FantasyiTeam.
The Costa Ricans are likely to operate with a 4-4-1-1 or 5-4-1 formation, though Bryan Oviedo’s omission restricts their options in the left wing-back berth. Instead, a back-four with Cristian Gamboa on the right and Junior Diaz (available for 4.5 and 4.9 in FantasyiTeam respectively) on the opposite flank may be preferred allowing Giancarlo Gonzalez and Michael Umana or Oscar Duarte the centre-half berths. Gonzalez comes in at just 4.5 in in FantasyiTeam, despite starting every game in the second qualifying group.
Celso Borges (who scored twice in qualifying) and Yeltsin Tejeda are the favourites to take the central midfield roles, with their ball-winning ability key to Pinto’s counter-attacking tactics – the duo, who are available for 5.5 and 5.0 in in FantasyiTeam, look a decent shout for Fantasy games that reward defensive actions. Oviedo’s absence leaves the left wing spot something of an uncertainty, though Christian Bolanos looks nailed-on over on the right hand side – despite his technical abilities and speed on the flank, a poor scoring record for club and country suggests he may be overlooked, though.
Up top, Pinto is set to line up with Joel Campbell as the out-and-out striker, playing Bryan Ruiz off the Arsenal man in support. Both players are known to us, of course, and will carry the burden of taking the opportunities that come their way in a bid to surprise their more illustrious opponents. Campbell has spent the season on loan from the Emirates at Olympiacos, the 21-year-old notched nine goals from 32 appearances for the Greeks, including a headline grabbing strike against Manchester United in the Champions League Quarter-Final. Ruiz revived his season whilst on loan to Dutch outfit PSV, after another disappointing year for Fulham, and his creative endeavours will be at the hub of his team’s attacks – he’s slightly more expensive than his fellow forward, coming in at 6.9 in FantasyiTeam to Campbell’s 6.3.
The Long Shot
Alvaro Saborio has been overtaken by Campbell as the main forward in recent matches but the former could still have a part to play. If his side are still in with a chance midway through the second period, Saborio’s introduction off the bench could be a regular tactic as Pinto looks to take advantage of tiring defences in the sweltering conditions. Priced at 7.4 in FantasyiTeam, however, he’s likely to stay well under the radar.
Further Analysis
Group A – Brazil,Cameroon, Croatia, Mexico
Group B – Australia, Chile, Holland, Spain
Group C – Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
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