Spain – Costa Rica

Current form Spain
Spain qualified confidently for the World Cup finals in Russia and is certainly one of the favorites to win the title. The results in the qualification and generally in the year 2017 can be more than impressive. Under coach Julen Lopetegui, the team is still unbeaten, has brought seven wins in a single draw this calendar year, and accordingly achieved a strong points average of 2.75 points. No fewer than 25 goals are scored in these eight games, which in turn means an outstanding average of more than three hits per match. It does not need to be discussed before the duel with Costa Rica about which team has more quality and punch in the offensive. However, the defensive department does not need to hide. On average, goalkeeper David de Gea had to catch up only every other game of the year. But anyone who believes that Spain has achieved these great values ​​only in duels with much weaker teams is wrong. Of course, the Iberians are the favorite in most games, but convincing results have been achieved against top teams. Consider the 2-0 victory away to France or the 3: 0 in front of their home crowd against Italy. For four games, the Spaniards are also without a goal, have recently defeated Israel (1-0), Albania (3-0), Liechtenstein (8-0) and just Italy. On Saturday, however, you will probably fall back on the offensive 4-3-3 system, which you gave up in the last game against Israel in favor of a 4-2-3-1. In this match, although they were clearly superior, 64 percent possession of the ball for themselves and also found six good chances to score, but a good part of these came from shots from outside the penalty area. There was also a lack of personal strength in and around the penalty area. Not surprisingly, the goal with Asier Illaramendi also by a player who has his qualities actually rather in the game against the ball, but by distance shot was successful. We see strengths among the Spaniards mainly because of their variability in the offensive game. Many players can occupy different positions, especially over the wings, so you keep getting busy. It would be advisable, Coach Lopetegui would put on Saturday in the central midfield next to Illaramendi or Busquets again on a stronger player like Isco or Koke, which would bring a little more pace in the development game.

Current form Costa Rica
Costa Rica was the big sensation of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, then came through to the quarter-finals. The qualification campaign for Russia was also successfully and completely sovereign. While other favorites such as the USA stumbled, Costa Rica took second place behind Mexico in the CONCACAF qualifying group 1, collected in ten games 16 counters. Second place was the logical consequence of the statistics of the table. As for scoring as well as the least cashed matches, they were only surpassed by Mexico. The results in the qualifying matches of the year 2017, however, were mixed. Eight out of ten matches were played this calendar year, only two of which were won. So happened in 2: 1 against Trinidad and the 2: 0 away against the United States. In the last three matches of the campaign, the team of Oscar Ramirez, however, was without a win. First there was a still acceptable 1-1 against Mexico, followed by a meager 1-1 against Honduras. The final game away against Panama was lost even with 1: 2. It was especially in the offensive a bit slow, uninspired and not very creative. There were also problems in the passing game. In the end, with 45 percent possession, only three good scoring opportunities in 90 minutes to book, while twice as many allowed on the part of the counterparty. Personnel problems we see in the Central Americans, especially on the goalkeeper position and in the attack center. Here you just do not have such high-quality players to prepare a team like Spain problems. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica should therefore put on Saturday on an extremely defensive 5-4-1, in which one wants to come to success with fast switching game. For this, however, as I said above, especially in passing game a significant increase in comparison to the last appearance against Panama. Bitter: With Joel Camphell and Oscar Duarte fall two absolute key players. The attacker of Betis Sevilla is suffering from an ankle injury, center-back Duarte battles back after a cruciate ligament injury. Accordingly, we expect in the game forward no miracles, since with Bryan Ruiz also the game designer in midfield fails. A lack of this axis is actually not to cope with the Cadre density of Costa Rica. Strengths in the game forward we see, if, then on the left side and Sunderland legionnaire Bryan Oviedo.