DOHA, Qatar – Costa Rica punched their ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar thanks to an early Joel Campbell goal in a 1-0 win over New Zealand in the inter-confederation playoff on Tuesday night at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
It is the sixth World Cup appearance for the Ticos, who will be the fourth team from Concacaf to participate at the 2022 World Cup, along with Canada, Mexico and the United States.
It is also marking the third time that four nations from Concacaf will compete in the World Cup, along with Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014.
Costa Rica came storming out of the gates and scored the game’s lone goal barely two minutes after the opening whistle when Jewison Bennette ran onto a loose ball and sent in a cross that met the charging Campbell, who directed a shot into goal for a 1-0 lead in the 3’.
New Zealand went right to work in search of an answer and had a pair of looks, but first missed wide and then had a Chris Wood shot snuffed out by Costa Rica GK Keylor Navas.
The Kiwis maintained control for the duration of the first 45 minutes, leading to three changes from Costa Rica Head Coach Luis Fernando Ruiz for the second half, including the entrance of legendary winger Bryan Ruiz.
Costa Rica continued to hold firm in the second half and then improved their chances greatly in the 69’ when after a VAR review, the referee ruled that a foul from New Zealand’s Kosta Barbarouses warranted a red card, reducing the Oceania champions to 10 men for the final 21 minutes of the match.
Despite being down a man, New Zealand were still creating chances and Navas had to stretch to his right to deny Clayton Lewis from scoring from outside the area in the 76’.
But Costa Rica avoided any late pitfalls thanks to the timely interventions of Navas and saw things out to complete the 32-team field for this year’s World Cup.
