No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveA 12-year-old ghost is back at Estadio Azteca

A 12-year-old ghost is back at Estadio Azteca

A 3-5-10 record in World Cup elimination stages, eight years without scoring, a -17 goal differential and 105,000 people rooting against them are only some of the negative numbers Costa Rica will face tonight against Mexico.

And yet, hope for a second “Aztecazo” has never been higher. In the last 12 years, Ticos have never been so optimistic about beating Mexico at home in the Estadio Azteca.

Costa Rica and Mexico face off tonight in the fifth round of the final elimination stage for Brazil 2014 World Cup. In a three-way tie with the United States for the top spot, both teams aim to finish the first round of round robin games as leaders.

Expectations in Mexico are high, as local and foreign journalists and experts debate over the visiting team’s chances of a surprise result.

“Costa Rica has a team that can come to play fearlessly against Mexico, and have a good game,” said David Faitelson, a Mexican ESPN sports reporter who usually is overconfident of Mexican sports superiority over Central American teams. “Why not repeat 2001 and leave Estadio Azteca with more than a tie?”

Many of Faitelson’s colleagues agree that Mexico is obligated to earn all 3 points at home, as the team has only had one win in 2013 (1-0 vs. Jamaica on June 4), following a 6-tie streak and another tie last Friday at Panama.

As for Costa Rica, team morale is high following an important win at home against Honduras last Friday, and only one loss in this stage of eliminations against the U.S. in a controversial, snowy game in Denver last March.

In the end, statistics and speculation don’t matter when both teams hit the field. But they’ll have to suffice until the 90-minute whistle is blown and history is written once again.

CONCACAF standings:

Costa Rica 2-1-1, 7 points

United States 2-1-1, 7 points

Mexico 1-0-4, 7 points

Panama 1-0-3, 6 points

Honduras 1-2-1, 4 points

Jamaica 0-3-2, 2 points

Other matches

United States vs. Panama

Jamaica at Honduras

Trending Now

Costa Rica Approves Extradition of Ex-Minister Gamboa and Associates

A Costa Rican court has approved the extradition of former Security Minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez to the United States on charges of international cocaine...

Starbucks Honors Costa Rica’s Coffee Roots in October Festivities

Coffee runs deep in our veins, a tradition that started in the 1700s and shapes our country's economy and culture today. This October, Starbucks...

Costa Rica’s Nayara Springs Named Among World’s Best Hotels by MICHELIN

Nayara Springs, a secluded adults-only resort near Arenal Volcano National Park, has claimed the highest spot in the MICHELIN Guide's new hotel rankings. The...

Family Beach Day in Costa Rica Exploring Tidepools and Wildlife

My two sons couldn’t be more different. They look completely different. They act completely differently. They eat different foods. They have different interests. This...

Costa Rica’s FIFCO Sells Operations to Heineken After Vote

Shareholders of Costa Rica's Florida Ice and Farm Company, known as FIFCO, gave the green light on to sell most of their food, beverage,...

U.S. Labeled Terrorists Escape Guatemalan Jail Amid Homicide Surge

Guatemala City – Authorities in Guatemala confirmed on Sunday that 20 high-ranking members of the Barrio 18 gang broke out of the Fraijanes II...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica