WCQ Game Guide: Trinidad & Tobago v Costa Rica

Joevin Jones (pictured) has scored Trinidad & Tobago's last two goals in World Cup Qualifying. (Photo: CA-Images)

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP CONCACAF Qualifying -- Final Round, Matchday 1

Date: November 11, 2016 Match: Trinidad & Tobago v Costa Rica Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium – Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago Time: 7:00 p.m. (local)

MATCH OFFICIALS R: Oscar Moncada (Honduras) AR1: Oscar Velasquez (Honduras) AR2: Walter Lopez (Honduras) 4th: Armando Castro (Honduras)

SUSPENSIONS none

ALL-TIME WCQ SERIES Costa Rica leads: 11W-3D-0L (28GF, 5GA)

LAST WCQ MEETING October 10, 2009: Costa Rica 4, Trinidad & Tobago 0 own-goal, Julius James 26’; Walter Centeno 51’; Alvaro Saborio 61’, 64’

FIVE MATCH WCQ FORM Trinidad & Tobago: LDWWD Costa Rica: WWWDW

CONCACAF QUALIFYING RESULTS

Trinidad Tobago (Overall record: 3W-2D-1L … 13GF, 9GA) 13.11.15 Guatemala v Trinidad & Tobago 1-2 17.11.15 Trinidad & Tobago v USA 0-0 25.03.16 St. Vincent & the Grenadines v Trinidad & Tobago 2-3 29.03.16 Trinidad & Tobago v St. Vincent & the Grenadines 6-0 02.09.16 Trinidad & Tobago v Guatemala 2-2 06.09.16 USA v Trinidad & Tobago 4-0

Costa Rica (Overall record: 5W-1D-0L … 11GF, 3 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

CONCACAF QUALIFYING SCORERS

Trinidad & Tobago: Kenwyne Jones, Joevin Jones (3); Trevin Caesar, Levi Garcia (2); Sheldon Bateau, Khaleem Hyland, Kevin Molino (1)

Costa Rica: Cristian Bolaños, Bryan Ruiz (2); Johnny Acosta, Randall Azofeifa, Celso Borges, Cristian Gamboa, Ronald Matarrita, Marco Ureña, Johan Venegas

KEY 2018 WCQ MOMENT

Trinidad & Tobago : In the third match of the fourth round on March 25, 2016, T&T found itself tied 2-2 at last-place St. Vincent & the Grenadines with time running out. Levi Garcia, who gave the visitor a 2-1 lead shortly after entering as a 65th minute substitute, netted the game-winner with eight minutes remaining in normal time. The rising AZ Alkmaar standout beat goalkeeper Lemus Christopher off a ball delivered over the defense by Neveal Hackshaw. The result – coupled with a 2-0 win for Guatemala over the visiting United States later in the evening -- lifted the Soca Warriors into first place in Group C.

Costa Rica : Was sailing through qualifying, winning its first pair of outings. On matchday three, however, the Ticos were forced to rally from an early deficit at Jamaica to earn a 1-1 draw thanks to Johnny Acosta’s 67th minute goal. The sides met again four days later in San Jose and the host responded to potential adversity with an impressive 3-0 win. Celso Borges (6’) and Bryan Ruiz (37’) netted in the first half, while Johan Venegas (77’) put the match out of reach in the second half.

FAST FACTS

Trinidad & Tobago

• Qualified for only one FIFA World Cup, playing in Germany 2006 after overcoming Bahrain in a two-match playoff, 2-1 on aggregate.
• Current forward Kenwyne Jones appeared in two matches at the 2006 World Cup (entered as a first-half substitute in 2-0 loss v Paraguay … started and played 70 minutes in 2-0 loss v England)
• Competing in fourth Hexagonal.

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.
• Keylor Navas was the starting goalkeeper the last time Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago met in World Cup Qualifying, a 4-0-win for the host Ticos on October 10, 2009, at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in Tibas, San Jose, Costa Rica.
• One of three teams to reach each of the previous five Hexagonal editions.