Fifa World Cup 2014: Costa Rica have work cut out in testing group

Abu Dhabi: Costa Rica may have been placed in a tough 2014 World Cup qualifying group alonsgide Italy, England and Uruguay, but that trio of former champions can’t afford to take them lightly.

Football enthusiasts might not expect the Central American side to go a long way, but they are definitely capable of springing a surprise.

It would be a major accomplishment for Costa Rica if they matched their 1990 achievement of reaching the round of 16, when they beat Scotland and Sweden and narrowly lost to Brazil in the group stage.

They clearly look the weakest team in the group and have never beaten any of their three rivals, but don’t expect them to be pushovers. Los Ticos conceded just seven goals in their 10 qualifying matches and beat the US and Mexico on their way to second place in the final Concacaf qualifying round, reaching Brazil 2014 with relative ease.

Their most established player is captain Bryan Ruiz, who spent the second half of the season on loan from Fulham at PSV Eindhoven. Ruiz will provide support for lone striker Alvaro Saborio of MLS club Real Salt Lake and will be joined on the flank by the Arsenal-owned Joel Campbell, who has been pretty impressive for Olympiakos.

Ruiz, an accomplished dribbler, is capable of changing a game on his own and lots will depend on how he performs.

Campbell’s goal against Manchester United in the Champions League in February was a highlight of his career and he will be looking to make his presence felt at the showpiece event.

This is a second spell in charge for coach Jorge Luis Pinto, who was also the Costa Rica boss between 2004 and 2005. The 61-year-old failed to deliver then, but, once he took over again in 2011, he was instrumental in seeing the team through qualification for the World Cup. The Colombian who has won league titles in his homeland, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela will have to bring all his experience into play if he is to guide Los Ticos out of the testing group.

Costa Rica

Group D
Fifa Ranking: 34

TOP MAN

Bryan Ruiz
Date of birth: August 18, 1985 (age 28)
Place of birth: San Jose
Height: 1.88m
Weight: 78kg
Playing position: Attacking midfielder/forward
International caps: 38. Goals: 7
Club: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)

COACH

Jorge Luis Pinto
Date of birth: December 16, 1952 (age 61)
Place of birth: San Gil (Colombia)
Manager since: 2011 

BEST 11 (4-5-1)

Navas; Miller, Umana, Gonzalez, Gamboa; Campbell, Borges, Ruiz, Tejeda, Bolanos; Diaz

Squad

Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Levante/ESP), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense), Daniel Cambronero (Herediano)

Defenders: Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew/USA), Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Roy Miller (New York Red Bulls/USA), Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg/NOR), Oscar Duarte (Club Brugge/BEL), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (FSV Mainz/GER), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew/USA).

Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Celso Borges (AIK/SWE), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (Aalesund/NOR), Esteban Granados (Herediano), Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen/DEN), Diego Calvo (Valerenga/NOR)

Forwards: Marco Urena (Kuban Krasnodar/RUS), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Joel Campbell (Olympiakos/GRE)

GROUP OPPONENTS

Uruguay
England
Italy

QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN

Finished a distant second behind Mexico in the second round of Concacaf qualifying, before taking an impressive runners-up spot in the final round behind the US.

WORLD CUP HISTORY

First Tournament: 1990 (Italy)
Appearances (before 2014): 3
Best finish: Round of 16 (1990)

PROS

• Coach Jorge Luis Pinto has been working with the team since 2011 and has got the right balance of youth and talent amongst one of the most promising Costa Rican generations.
• Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell are plying their trade in Europe and, in Keylor Navas, they have one of the most under-rated goalkeepers in La Liga.
• Los Ticos were pretty impressive throughout their qualifying campaign. Their only defeats came in difficult away assignments against the USA and Honduras.

CONS

• Defence looks a bit vulnerable in the absence of Everton left-back Bryan Oviedo, who is out of the World Cup because of injury.
• After qualifying for the tournament in October, Pinto’s men were shut out in three friendlies before finally finding the net in a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in March.
• Key player Ruiz showed glimpses of his undoubted quality at Fulham, but his inconsistency was the only consistent aspect of his time there as he drifted in and out of games.