Our prediction for this Copa America match:
Third place in Group D will be at stake when Costa Rica and Paraguay take on each other at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday morning. Los Ticos kicked off their 2024 Copa America campaign in style, with the team holding star-studded Brazil to a draw, but they experienced all sorts of problems at the back in a 3-0 loss to Colombia. Costa Rica are desperate to bounce back from the heart-breaking defeat, but they will have to do it without suspended forward Manfred Ugalde. Experienced attacker Joel Campbell is widely expected to step up.
La Albirroja, on the other hand, have been struggling at the showpiece tournament in USA, with the team losing to both Colombia and Brazil in the process. As the nominal visitors are eager to give fans something to cheer about, we believe that there is a big value in betting on both teams to score. There are no fresh injury worries in the away team, but Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Andres Cubas misses out through suspension.
Highlighted Player (Joel Campbell):
Joel Campbell is a highly rated 23-year-old versatile forward who plays for the English Premier League club Arsenal and the Costa Rica national team. His versatility has seen him operating as a forward or on the wings. Campbell often hogs the headlines with his fast-paced runs on the wings and breathtaking goals.
He was highly rated by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger and was snapped up as a teenager in 2011 but spent his first three seasons at the club on loan at three different clubs. His competitive debut at Arsenal came only in 2014 but has become a regular with the national squad. He has earned 55 caps already and has 11 goals to his credit in national colors.
He has already played in CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America. But it is his success as a key member of the 2014 FIFA World Cup quarter-final reaching squad that is a highlight of his career so far.
Highlighted Team (Paraguay):
Los Guaranies are the part of CONMEBOL confederation vying for glory at the international scene since 1919 and their debut loss to Argentina 5-1. Paraguay are regular participants at the Copa America winning the tournament on two occasions thus far, most recently in 1979.
They came close to glory in recent editions of the tournament as they fell short in the final of 2011 to Uruguay, while they finished fourth in 2015. The most successful period of the Paraguay national team came under Argentine coach Gerardo Martino, who took Paraguay to the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time in history. Following the 2010 success, Paraguay failed to qualify for their fourth successive FIFA World Cup finals as they have also missed out on the third consecutive global championship held inside their own continent.
Toluca FC centre back Paulo da Silva is the most capped player of the Paraguay national team, while former Bayern Munich and Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz is the team’s top scorer with 32 goals to his name.