Spain vs Costa Rica
Women’s World Cup
Group C
Friday
21st July 2023
Sky Stadium
Preview, analysis and predictions for the Group C Women’s World Cup fixture between Spain and Costa Rica.
Spain form analysis
Spain’s performance in the last two years has been a mix of highs and lows. They have showcased their ability to secure convincing victories against opponents, as demonstrated by their wins against Hungary, Ukraine, Argentina, and Panama. These matches highlight Spain’s attacking prowess and their ability to dominate weaker teams.
However, In terms of competitive fixtures, the side has proved they could crumble in high profile games. Spain participated in the UEFA Euro 2022, where they reached the quarterfinals but suffered a defeat against England in extra time. While this result indicates a respectable performance, it also highlights the need for improvement in order to progress further in major tournaments.
Friendly matches have provided Spain with an opportunity to test their strength against various opponents. They secured victories against teams like the United States, Norway, China, Denmark, and Japan, indicating their ability to perform well in non-competitive fixtures. However, a draw against Sweden suggests that Spain can face challenges against tougher opposition.
Spain’s participation in the Cup of Nations yielded mixed results. While they started the tournament with a convincing win against Jamaica, they faced a defeat against Australia, indicating vulnerabilities against strong opponents. However, they responded well with a commanding victory over the Czech Republic.
It’s important to note that friendly matches against teams like Argentina, Japan, and Vietnam were unofficial, which might affect the level of competition and the significance of the results.
Costa Rica form analysis
Costa Rica’s form in the last two years has been poor to say the least. They have faced challenges in securing victories against stronger opponents, as evidenced by their losses against teams like Colombia, the Netherlands, and Portugal. These results highlight difficulties in generating offensive output and maintaining defensive stability against higher-ranked teams.
In friendly matches, Costa Rica has delivered mediocre performances. They have secured draws against Colombia and Mexico in the Women’s Revelations Cup, showcasing their ability to compete against teams of similar level. However, they have also suffered defeats against Poland and Scotland, indicating vulnerabilities against European opposition.
In regional competitions, Costa Rica displayed resilience by reaching the 3rd place match of the CONCACAF Championship. However, they were unable to secure a victory in that match, losing to Jamaica in extra time. This suggests that while they can compete against regional opponents, there is room for improvement in terms of closing out matches and achieving better results in crucial stages.
In the CAC Games group stage, Costa Rica experienced mixed results. They suffered a significant defeat against Venezuela but managed to secure victories against Centro Caribe Sports and Haiti. These results highlight the team’s ability to perform well against weaker regional opponents but also indicate their incapabilities against stronger teams.
Spain vs Costa Rica: Predictions
Costa Rica’s performance despite playing in a weaker confederation have been mediocre at best. They do not stand a chance against the much stronger Spanish side, who are known to blow weaker opponents out of the water.
Spain has registered four clean sheets in a row. I back them to make it five in a row this Friday. Furthermore, they kept clean sheets in all but two of their last eleven games.
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