Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Copa America clash between Costa Rica and Paraguay, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Needing a win to have any hope of progressing into the quarter-finals of the Copa America for the first time since 2004, Costa Rica will face Paraguay at Q2 Stadium on Tuesday.
A 3-0 defeat to Colombia on matchday two has dropped Los Ticos down to third in Group D with one point, while a 4-1 loss versus Brazil kept Paraguay without a point and officially eliminated them from this competition.
Match preview
© Reuters
After such an encouraging start to this tournament, the Costa Ricans failed to keep that momentum going in their Friday affair.
Luis Diaz converted a 31st-minute penalty, ending a four-match run for this side without conceding, while the Costa Ricans suffered their biggest defeat since a friendly against the United Arab Emirates last September (4-1 defeat).
Gustavo Alfaro‘s men can no longer sit back and try to frustrate the opposition, with Los Ticos needing a win and a Brazilian loss versus Colombia, plus a five-goal swing to fall their way to advance.
Costa Rica have yet to register an effort on target at the Copa America this year and are in danger of ending this tournament winless for only the second time (1997).
Only once this century have they suffered consecutive defeats in the group stage of this competition, while they have only lost their final Copa America group fixture once (4-1 defeat to Argentina).
Los Ticos are unbeaten in their previous three meetings with the Paraguayans, with the last two matches against them ending in a 0-0 draw.
© Reuters
American soil does not appear to suit Paraguay, who will exit the Copa America on Tuesday in the group stage for the first time since 2016 when this tournament took place in the US.
Paraguay have never won a Copa America fixture played in the United States but have also never gone pointless at this tournament.
The last time they went on to win a match after conceding the opening goal was in their opening Copa America fixture against Bolivia in 2021 (3-1), with La Albirroja losing every one of their encounters when going down 1-0 since then.
Daniel Garnero‘s men have conceded six goals in two group fixtures, the second-most at this tournament behind Bolivia (seven) and the most for the national team in a single Copa America group stage since 2001 (six).
Garnero has never lost three successive matches as national team manager, while the Paraguayans have not suffered three consecutive defeats since November 2022 to March 2023 (three).
Not since 2010 have Los Guaranies defeated Costa Rica (1-0), though they won the only meeting against them at the Copa America, 1-0 in 2004.
Costa Rica Copa America form:
Costa Rica form (all competitions):
Paraguay Copa America form:
Paraguay form (all competitions):
Team News
© Reuters
Costa Rica will be without Manfred Ugalde for this decisive match, with the Spartak Moscow striker receiving a second caution at this tournament on Friday.
There was only one newcomer to their starting 11 on matchday two, with Warren Madrigal coming into the fold in place of Jefferson Brenes.
Andres Cubas will be suspended for this encounter after the Paraguay midfielder received a straight red card near the end of their previous match, while Damian Bobadilla was the only newcomer to their starting 11.
The only goal from Paraguay at this tournament so far came from Omar Alderete, the first for the Getafe defender with the national team.
Costa Rica possible starting lineup:
P. Sequeira; Mitchell, Vargas; Calvo; Quiros, Galo, Brenes, Lassiter; Zamora, Campbell; Contreras
Paraguay possible starting lineup:
Morinigo; Velazquez, Balbuena, Alderete, Espinoza; Caballero, Villasanti; Bobadilla, Enciso, Sosa; Romero
We say: Costa Rica 0-0 Paraguay
Both sides have played conservatively throughout this tournament because they have little creativity or quality to break down the other.
The Costa Ricans still have something to play for, but we do not believe they have the resources to find a way through Paraguay in this encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.