The Costa Rican national team is already in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The ‘Ticos’ beat New Zealand by the minimum (1-0) thanks to a goal by Joel Campbell in the first half in the playoff match played at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Doha.
The team led by Colombian Luis Fernando Suárez will be Spain’s first rival in the World Cup, in a match that will be played on Wednesday, November 23 (5:00 p.m.) at the Al Thumama stadium.
Notice to boaters. Costa Rica, which will play its sixth World Cup final phase, the third in a row, won three of the first games it played: against Scotland (1-0 in 1990), against China (2-0 in 2022) and against Uruguay (3 -1 in 2014).
The Costa Ricans, who had to play this playoff after finishing in fourth position in the final octagonal Concacaf, after Canada, Mexico and the United States, and who began with four games without winning to win a place by winning the last three, today advanced on the scoreboard in minute 3, in an action that was born in a throw-in and that, after an assist from Bennette, allowed Joel Campbell to make it 1-0.
Before the break New Zealand was able to draw. In fact he did, but the VAR annulled the goal . He scored through Wood, but the referee, after consulting with the VAR, called a previous foul on the New Zealand player and invalidated the goal.
New Zealand reacted well and got the ‘Ticos’ into their area thanks to Cacace’s arrivals from the left wing and Wood’s centimeters, who became a real nightmare for the rival defense.
Costa Rica speculated excessively with the result but put up with it and breathed easy with the absurd expulsion of Barbarouses , who a few minutes after entering the field left the match with an ugly and unnecessary tackle. But not even with ten did New Zealand stop dominating and generating uncertainty.
Costa Rica ended up stuck in their area bailing balls and asking for the time, but Keylor Navas imposed his law and, in the end, the ‘Ticos’ got their ticket to the World Cup.