Match Details:
Date: 23 November 2022
Time: 09:30 PM IST
Venue: Al Thumama Stadium
Live Commentary: SportsTiger App
Preview:
Spain and Costa Rica lock horns in another Group E fixture at the Al Thumama Stadium. The 2010 World Cup winners are going through a transition with a young squad with a few veteran players who entering the twilight of their careers. Similarly, Costa Rica also is set to field a young squad that has been playing incredibly well en route to Qatar.
Team news:
Spain
No major injuries ahead of the Group E game for Spain.
Costa Rica
Star goalkeeper Keylor Navas has been included in the squad despite picking up a back injury in November which kept him out of action for PSG in the build-up to the tournament.
Analysis:
Transition is the perfect word to describe the Spain team for the 20 22 FIFA World Cup. La Roja has stuck to their possession-based football which dominated the global stage in the early 2010s. They definitely have a young team which has some insane talent that will hopefully bring back to glory days for Spain. With youngsters like Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati leading the line, Spain would hope to make a deep run in the World Cup.
For the Costa Ricans, this will also be a year in transition with veteran stars entering the twilight of their careers. Luiz Fernando Suarez’s men have built a strong defensive team which has struggled to score a lot of goals. They still have their old core with Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Keylor Navas and would want to give the veteran stars an apt send-off.
Probable Starting XIs:
Spain:
Unai Simon (GK); Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Torres, Jordi Alba; Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Gavi; Ferran Torres, Alvaro Morata, Ansu Fati.
Costa Rica:
Keylor Navas (GK); Carlos Martinez, Francisco Calvo, Oscar Duarte, Bryan Oviedo; Yeltsin Tejeda, Jewison Bennette, Gerson Torres; Celso Borges, Anthony Contreras, Joel Campbell.
Key Players:
Head-to-Head:
Best 14:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Keylor Navas
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte, Keysher Fuller, Francisco Calvo
Midfielders: Pedri, Gavi, Jewisson Bennette, Bryan Ruiz
Strikers: Joel Campbell, Johan Venegas, Ansu Fati, Alvaro Morata
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s point of view. They neither reflect the opinion of SportsTiger nor advise anyone to make any prediction based on this. SportsTiger does not assume any responsibility and liability for the same .
