please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Costa Rica are expected to revert to the same side that beat Italy in their second group game. That would see experienced centre-back Michael Umana and left-sided midfielder Christian Bolanos come back in for Roy Miller and Randall Brenes. Greece captain Kostas Katsouranis is available once again, having been suspended for the Ivory Coast match. Goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis looks to have shaken off a knock, but Panagiotis Kone is out injured. Greece coach Fernando Santos: "We have to pay a lot of attention in this game, they came out top in the 'Group of Death'. "As a result we cannot allow ourselves to underestimate them." Costa Rica defender Michael Umana: "To have qualified top of the group makes us proud "It gives us great satisfaction as a group. We have grown as a team although we have always been characterised by strong and silent work." Head-to-head This will be the first ever meeting between Costa Rica and Greece. Costa Rica Costa Rica have reached the last 16 of the World Cup only once before, in 1990, when they lost 4-1 to Czechoslovakia. Current squad members Yeltsin Tejeda, Joel Campbell, Waylon Francis and Diego Calvo were not born then. The last team from CONCACAF to go further than the last 16 at the World Cup are the USA in 2002. Costa Rica are yet to let in a goal from open play at this World Cup, having only conceded a penalty against Uruguay's Edinson Cavani. They conceded the equal fewest goals in the group stage along with Mexico and Belgium. Keylor Navas has saved seven of the eight shots on target he has faced in this World Cup. Greece This is the first time that Greece have ever reached the knockout stage of the World Cup. Greece's seven wins at major tournaments have never been by more than one clear goal (four 1-0 victories and three 2-1 wins). They have only won two of their nine World Cup games, both 2-1 wins and both against African sides (v Nigeria in 2010 and Ivory Coast in 2014). Those victories are the only games in which they have managed to score. Their only clean sheet in those nine matches came against Japan earlier in this tournament. Greece are the only nation in the last 16 that ended the group phase with a negative goal difference (-2). Georgios Samaras' goal against Ivory Coast in Greece's last game ended his goalscoring drought of 1,478 minutes (24 hr 38 min) with the national team. His penalty against Ivory Coast is his only shot on target at this World Cup (270 minutes).
Would like to see Costa Rica win, but i didnt think that Greece were bad in their last game , they played some very good & effective counter-attacking football imo. Much improved on when they won the European Championship.
The thought of Costa Rica (let's face it they'll win) or Mexico guaranteed a semi final would have given me a semi. **** you Holland.
Just looked up Costa Rica on Wikipedia...yes, I am that bored Seems a super country...ranks very high on the human development index (who knew that even existed), is the oldest democracy in South America, is the 'greenest' South American country, and disbanded its army.
Costa Rica is a nice basic little country - used to load banana's in Puerto Limon for Standard Fruit Co, and the Costa Rican people were lovely. Hope that they can continue their great form tonight.
No, instead they were shafted by USA who set up secret bases in the country to send supplies to the horrifically right wing Contra's fighting the strongly left wing government in place in Honduras at the time, and look at the damage it has done there!
Costa Rica is awesome and they truly love their football - all of them seemed to support Fulham at the time due to Bryan Ruiz. It is an ideal model for a lot of the Central American countries around there which have been left vastly untouched for hundreds of years. Despite suffering greatly from civil wars, American influenced coups and natural disasters during the 70s and 80s Central America has developed rapidly in recent years. Some of the countries in the region have progressive health and schooling systems leading to improved standards of living (Costa Rica makes large sums of money from medical tourism as Americans cannot afford the care in USA and it is cheaper and better over there which is an amazing thought!). They have had no military since the 1940s which has saved billions and a third of the country is in national parks. It has become a significant area for ecotourism due to its high levels of biodiversity in its coral reefs, rainforests and tropical beaches. However, the region is also rich in history and was home to some of the most influential societies pre-Columbian times. Costa Rica which could easily fit in Scotland has between 850-900 bird species, more than can be found in the entire region of Canada and USA put together. Costa Rica boasts over 20 different cilmate zones/eco-regions. If you get the chance definitely go there it is amazing just avoid the USA real-estate hype! A different philosophy to life compared to Western societies but a very practical and forward thinking one so it seems.
Costa Rica also have a cool kit. I'm backing the draw at 9/4 though. Plus a fiver on Samaras to score first at 9/1.
