The Costa Rica women's national team (red jersey) will play a series of friendlies in the United States ahead of the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – In preparation for the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, Costa Rica has scheduled four friendlies in the United States, the Costa Rican Football Federation announced Thursday.
The squad is scheduled to depart for Colorado on October 5 and will square off against the Colorado Storm (October 6), the University of Denver (October 8), the Air Force Academy (October 10) and Colorado State University (October 12).
"The primary purpose of the preparation matches, apart from making a tactical approach to the system of play you want to implement, is to detect what we are missing, what we are not doing well,” said head coach Garabet Avedissian. “And from there we can focus on what we need to improve in order to grow and try to arrive at World Cup Qualifying in good condition.”
Costa Rica advanced to the final round of the CONCACAF event after topping Group II in Central American qualifying with wins over El Salvador (4-0) and Nicaragua (3-0) in May. Katherine Alvarado and Raquel Rodriguez Cedeño led the way with two goals each.
Avedissian is looking forward to the return of the foreign-based players -- Rodriguez Cedeño, Shirley Cruz, Fabiola Sanchez and Diana Saenz -- while applying the final touches to a talented a squad.
"The leadership and experience that players like them bring us will be important additions for preparation of the national team,” he expressed. “With them, we have a factor that celebrates the utmost of women’s football and they’ve known each other for many years. They have played in World Cups together, except Shirley, but teamwork is something very important for all.”
Costa Rica will open its CONCACAF Women’s Championship campaign against Group B rival Mexico on October 16 at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas, before taking on Jamaica (October 18 in Bridgeview, Illinois) and Martinique (October 21 in Washington, D.C.).
