AL RAYYAN (QATAR), June 15: Costa Rica’s core of stars including Keylor Navas, Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz created national soccer history in a memorable run to the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals.
They were all still there Tuesday, all with more than 100 international appearances, and all key to a 1-0 win over New Zealand in a World Cup intercontinental playoff for the final place at Qatar 2022.
All earned a ticket back to Qatar for Costa Rica in November and their third straight World Cup tournament together.
Costa Rica completed a 32-nation World Cup line-up by withstanding a New Zealand team that rallied from the early setback to dominate possession and create more and better scoring chances.
New Zealand pressed, and Navas responded, even after going down to 10 men for the last quarter of the match in the air-conditioned Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on the outskirts of Doha.
Two key decisions after video review went against the Kiwis, cancelling out a possible equalizing goal by Chris Wood in the 39th and ensuring a red card in the 69th for a foul by Kosta Barbarouses. The midfielder was on the field as a substitute for just nine minutes.
In the tense late stages, Navas rose to push away a curling left-foot shot by Clayton Lewis and got down to block Wood’s low drive.
It lifted Costa Rica to a World Cup place that seemed unlikely after a slow start last year in the eight-team North, Central America and Caribbean qualifying group.
“This squad shows what it is like to be Costa Rican. They never quit, they always give 100%,” said coach Luis Fernando Suárez, whose players reeled off four straight wins in February and March to earn the playoff entry.
New Zealand failed again in the final qualifying test. This loss for the Oceania champion in an intercontinental playoff followed exits against Mexico for the 2014 tournament and Peru four years later.
A tough World Cup assignment awaits as Suárez and his team will face two of the past three champions in Group E. Spain is the first opponent on Nov 23, then Japan and Germany.
Costa Rica scored from its first attack when Campbell, the former Arsenal forward, muscled between two defenders near the penalty spot to meet a low cross from teenager Jewison Bennette. Campbell directed a left-foot shot low into the far corner of the net.
A World Cup place was the perfect gift for Bennette, who turns 18 on Wednesday.
The CONCACAF now matches traditional power South America in having four teams at the last of the 32-nation World Cups.
Costa Rica joins Canada, the United States and Mexico – the three co-hosts of the expanded 48-team tournament in 2026 – which advanced directly in March from regional qualifying.
Peru’s playoff loss to Australia on Monday in Qatar meant the South American challenge is just Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and – for now – Ecuador.
Ecuador’s place is being challenged by Chile in a dispute over an alleged ineligible player. Chile is targeting an appeal after FIFA shut down a disciplinary investigation last week.
Chile’s pending appeal means Tuesday’s playoff is not yet the last word on the World Cup lineup and not even the last game in the three-year global qualifying program. FIFA has listed the game for Sept 21, just two months before the Nov 21-Dec 18 tournament. (AP)
