Costa Rica vs Paraguay Preview & Prediction | 2024 Copa America | Group Stage
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The likelihood is that both of these teams will find themselves eliminated from the 2024 Copa America on this final match day but there is still some hope for Costa Rica with Paraguay already plotting their route back down to South America.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday 3rd July, 2024 - UK – 2:00am & Tuesday 2nd July, 2024 - US ET – 9:00pm / US PT – 6:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – Fox Sports & TUDN
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports / US – UniMas, Univision, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue & ViX
COSTA RICA PREVIEW: WIN AND HOPE
Under the management of former Boca Juniors and Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro, the Costa Ricans have a typically defensively solid but extremely aggressive side in the press and that showed in their opening game against Brazil.
There was a real intensity and energy to the way in which they suffocated the Brazilians and managed to protect a goalless draw for themselves. However, they were then completely outplayed in a 3-0 defeat to the Colombians a few days later.
PARAGUAY PREVIEW: A DISAPPOINTING CAMPAIGN
Paraguay managed to get themselves back into their opening game against the aforementioned Colombians. They were outplayed for much of the game and found themselves 2-0 down at half-time but Julio Enciso preserved a reasonable 2-1 loss for the South Americans.
In their follow up game, though, they were blown away in the final ten minutes of the first-half with a brace scored by Vinicius Junior combined with a strike from Savio giving Brazil a 3-0 lead at the break with the end result being a 4-1 loss and elimination for Paraguay.
COSTA RICA TEAM NEWS: MANUEL UGALDE OUT SUSPENDED
Spartak Moscow man Manfred Ugalde will be unavailable for this final group stage match after picking up a yellow card in both of Costa Rica’s games thus far. Warren Madrigal came in for Jefferson Brenes ahead of their second game of the group.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Sequeira; Mitchell, Vargas, Calvo; Quiros, Galo, Brenes, Lassiter; Zamora, Campbell; Contreras
UNAVAILABLE: Ugalde (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE:
PARAGUAY TEAM NEWS: ANDRES CUBAS MISSING
As well as Costa Rica forward Manfred Ugalde, Paraguay midfielder Andres Cubas will also be unavailable after he was sent off against Brazil the other with Damian Bobadilla likely to remain in the lineup after coming into the team against the Selecao.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Morinigo; Velazquez, Balbuena, Alderete, Espinoza; Caballero, Villasanti; Bobadilla, Enciso, Sosa; Romero
UNAVAILABLE: Cubas (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE:
COSTA RICA VS PARAGUAY PREDICTION
This one is not expected to be a thriller. Costa Rica’s goal difference means that they are all but out with Brazil having a positive three differential and the Central Americans on minus three. Their only hope is to win and win well but that seems unlikely, even despite the fact Paraguay have conceded six goals in their opening two matches. It does appear evenly matched but Costa Rica’s added incentive may well be enough to see them pick up a potentially valuable three points.
COSTA RICA VS PARAGUAY TIP: DOUBLE CHANCE – COSTA RICA TO WIN OR DRAW
