Costa Rica vs Panama predictions for Monday night CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture. Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the CONCACAF Nations League, Panama will begin their Gold Cup campaign against Costa Rica. Read on for our free match preview and betting tips.
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Match Live Tuesday, 27th June at 12:00 am In:
Costa Rica vs Panama Predictions
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Gold Cup Showdown: Panama and Costa Rica Square off with High Stakes
Key Stats
– Costa Rica have consistently conceded the first goal in all of their games this year.
– Panama averaged 2.0 goals per game in the Nations League, suggesting a high-scoring trend.
Panama, fresh off an admirable fourth-place performance at the CONCACAF Nations League, is all set to commence their Gold Cup journey against Costa Rica this Monday at DRV PNK Stadium. This matchup comes in the wake of recent form slumps for both teams, with the Costa Ricans winless in their last three games across all platforms, while the Panamanians have stumbled in their last two international fixtures.
Costa Rica: A Story of Recent Struggles
Costa Rica, also known as Los Ticos, have had an interesting trajectory. The team has been an enduring force in the Gold Cup, having surpassed the group stage in every edition this century and boasting a perfect 3-0 score at this stage two years ago. But recent performances have cast a shadow over their glowing history.
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While the Costa Ricans enjoyed a remarkable run in 2022 World Cup qualifying, their fortunes have been inconsistent since. The team has failed to score in two of their last three games, displaying signs of vulnerability. Further compounding their troubles, they’ve consistently conceded the first goal in all their matches this year and have yet to secure a win against Central American opposition since a narrow 2-1 victory over El Salvador in March 2022.
The Costa Rican squad entering the Gold Cup is a mix of experience and novice talent. Four players bear the weight of 60+ international caps, but a sizable number (16 to be exact) have fewer than 10 appearances, indicating a large degree of inexperience.
Panama: A Rising Force in the Region
Panama, known as Los Canaleros, are carving out a reputation as a potent force in the CONCACAF region, currently sitting at 58th in the FIFA rankings. Despite narrowly missing out on a return to the World Cup in 2022, Panama had an impressive run of just one loss in their previous eight fixtures in all competitions before suffering two recent setbacks.
Headed by Thomas Christiansen, the Panama team is a seasoned one for this competition. With seven players having over 70 caps and each of the 23 selected boasting at least one senior appearance, the team is brimming with experience and cohesion.
Their impressive form, coupled with their experience, has led many to regard them as potential dark horses to win this tournament for the first time. The Panamanians have twice finished as runners-up in this century (2013 and 2005) and were the only team in the A side of the most recent Nations League tournament that did not concede a goal in the group phase.
Predictions: Goals Galore and a Panama Triumph
The information above builds up a compelling case for a high scoring game between Panama and Costa Rica. Both teams have their issues to address, which might translate into opportunities on the pitch. Particularly, Costa Rica’s recent struggles in finding the net and Panama’s ability to shut out their opponents set the stage for a match where goals are likely to be plentiful.
Our main prediction is that there will be over 2.5 goals. This is bolstered by the attacking capabilities of Panama, demonstrated by their 2.0 goals per game in the Nations League, and the fact that Costa Rica is no stranger to high-scoring matches, with an average of 1.0 goal per game in the same tournament.
However, a deeper dive into the stats reveals a potential scoreline – we predict a correct score of 3-0 for Panama. This prediction is derived from the understanding that Panama have maintained five clean sheets in their last seven encounters with Costa Rica, alongside the fact that Los Ticos have conceded the first goal in all their games this year. With the high level of inexperience in the Costa Rica’s side, it is likely that mentally they will struggle during the second half, if Panama, as we expect, take a lead early on.
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