FRISCO, Texas -- Costa Rica has faced two vastly different styles of play in its opening two 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup games against Honduras and Canada.
The Ticos squeezed past Honduras, 1-0, and then went down a goal to Canada’s rapid counterattack, before equalizing through a Francisco Calvo header in the 42nd-minute for a 1-1 stalemate.
“Against Canada, we were trying to do more,” said defender Giancarlo Gonzalez. “I had to be more attentive. For me, as a defender, those are the most difficult games to put in a perfect performance.”
French Guiana -- which is strongly influenced by French football styles -- will be a completely different matter, especially since the Yana Dòkòs also possess impressive physical abilities.
With four points already in the bag, Costa Rica may find itself looking ahead to the knockout rounds, but the Caribbean power has shown it’s a team that nobody can look past.
There are many permutations for possible quarterfinal pairings, but if Costa Rica wants to win Group A, it must first avoid a loss.
“We have to take this tournament game by game,” Gonzalez finished. “It’s our responsibility to go out and win on Friday and get three points. We know it will be a very competitive game and that’s all we’re focusing on.”
This will be the first-ever meeting between Costa Rica and French Guiana.
