SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia - When Costa Rica takes the field on Friday at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia for its second match in Group E at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it will see a familiar foe on the other side.
For the third time in its five World Cup appearances, the Ticos (0W-0D-1L, 0GF, 1GC) will face five-time world champions Brazil (0-1-0, 1GF, 1GC).
In Costa Rica's first World Cup participation in Italy 1990, the Ticos battled but ultimately succumbed to the Selecao, 1-0, in its second match of the tournament.
Twelve years later in its second World Cup appearance, once again there was Brazil staring Costa Rica in the face, this time in the third and final group stage match.
The two sides would produce a thrilling spectacle of football. Brazil took a 3-0 lead thanks in part to two goals from superstar FW Ronaldo, but Costa Rica would fight back and cut the deficit to 3-2 after strikes from Paulo Wanchope and Ronald Gomez.
However, in the end, goals from Rivaldo and Edmilson would foil the Ticos' comeback bid.
Now on Friday once again the two sides will meet and Costa Rica DF Giancarlo Gonzalez feels confident that this time the three points can belong to the Ticos.
"Brazil is a power, no team is going to totally lock them down," said Gonzalez to reporters.
"I feel that it is a game that with an intelligent and organized set-up we can manage it and beat Brazil. The game that we have to play is to defend well and take advantage of the spaces that we manage to create," added Gonzalez.
Costa Rica's overall record in its second match at the World Cup is: 1W-1D-2L, 4GF, 10GC.
Its lone win came at Brazil 2014 in a 1-0 victory over Italy. Costa Rica also played to a 1-1 draw with Turkey at South Korea/Japan 2002 and suffered defeats at Italy 1990 (Brazil, 1-0) and Germany 2006 (Ecuador, 3-0).
