Action from the Copa Centroamericana match between Panama and Costa Rica (white jersey) on January 22, 2017, in Panama City, Panama. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP
CONCACAF Qualifying -- Final Round, Matchday 5
Date: June 8, 2017
Match: Costa Rica v Panama
Venue: Estadio Nacional – San Jose, Costa Rica
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
MATCH OFFICIALS
R: Jair Marrufo (USA)
AR1: Corey Rockwell (USA)
AR2: Frank Anderson (USA)
4th: Ismail Elfath (USA)
SUSPENSIONS
Costa Rica: none
Panama: none
ALL-TIME WCQ SERIES
Costa Rica leads: 9W-3D-2L (30GF, 13GA)
LAST WCQ MEETING
September 6, 2016: Costa Rica 3, Panama 1
Christian Bolaños 18’, 79’; Ronald Matarrita 84’ / Luis Tejada 90’+2 pem
FIVE MATCH WCQ FORM
Costa Rica: DLWWW
Panama: DLDWL
CONCACAF QUALIFYING RESULTS
Costa Rica (Overall record: 7W-2D-1L … 18GF, 6 GA)
13.11.15 Costa Rica v Haiti 1-0
17.11.15 Panama v Costa Rica 1-2
25.03.16 Jamaica v Costa Rica 1-1
29.03.16 Costa Rica v Jamaica 3-0
02.09.16 Haiti v Costa Rica 0-1
06.09.16 Costa Rica v Panama 3-1
11.11.16 Trinidad & Tobago v Costa Rica 0-2
15.11.16 Costa Rica v USA 4-0
24.03.17 Mexico v Costa Rica 2-0
28.03.17 Honduras v Costa Rica 1-1
Panama (Overall record: 4W-3D-3L … 9GF, 7GA)
13.11.15 Jamaica v Panama 0-2
17.11.15 Panama v Costa Rica 1-2
25.03.16 Haiti v Panama 0-0
29.03.16 Panama v Haiti 1-0
02.09.16 Panama v Jamaica 2-0
06.09.16 Costa Rica v Panama 3-1
11.11.16 Honduras v Panama 0-1
15.11.16 Panama v Mexico 0-0
24.03.17 Trinidad & Tobago v Panama 1-0
28.03.17 Panama v USA 1-1
CONCACAF QUALIFYING SCORERS
Costa Rica: Christian Bolaños (4); Joel Campbell, Ronald Matarrita, Bryan Ruiz, Johan Venegas (2); Johnny Acosta, Randall Azofeifa, Celso Borges, Cristian Gamboa, Marco Ureña, Kendall Waston (1)
Panama: Luis Tejada (2); Abdiel Arroyo, Felipe Baloy, Armando Cooper, Fidel Escobar, Gabriel Gomez, Gabriel Torres, own-goal in favor of (1)
FINAL ROUND SUMMARY
Costa Rica: After opening qualifying with an unbeaten 7-1-0 record, second-place Costa Rica (2W-1D-1L) has gone winless in two straight outings – 2-0 away loss v Mexico and 1-1 away draw v Honduras. The Ticos conceded each of those three goals in the first half, something it will aim to remedy with their next two encounters being contested at home, where they haven’t lost in 10 consecutive WCQs (10-0-0).
Panama: Following a 1-1 draw against the visiting United States in their WCQ match, Panama remained in third place with a 1W-2D-1L mark. It conceded two goals in four outings, never allowing more than one and posting two shutouts. Offensively, the Panamanians have netted only twice in the Hexagonal and were shutout by Trinidad & Tobago, 1-0, in their last road encounter.
FAST FACTS
Costa Rica
- Qualified for four FIFA World Cups (1990, 2002, 2006, 2014), advancing as far as the quarterfinals in 2014, before falling to the Netherlands on penalty kicks (4-3), after a scoreless draw.
- One of three teams to reach each of the previous five Hexagonal editions.
- Eight of last nine WCQ goals scored in second half.
- Conceded one goal or fewer in nine of ten 2018 WCQ matches.
Panama
- Never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.
- Scored one goal or fewer in eight of ten 2018 WCQs.
- Conceded one goal or fewer in eight of ten 2018 WCQs, posting six shutouts.
- 2W-1D-2L in 2018 WCQ away games.
- In last meeting, Panama defeated Costa Rica, 1-0, in 2017 Copa Centroamericana (Armando Cooper 67’).
- Luis Tejada scored one goal in each of two 2018 WCQ, fourth-round games v Costa Rica.
A FEW MORE THINGS
- Costa Rica defeated Panama twice in 2018 WCQ, fourth-round play (2-1 away, 3-1 home).
- Costa Rica’s Christian Bolaños has scored two goals v Panama in 2018 WCQ play.
