The Costa Rica men’s national soccer team can secure their spot in the knockout stage of the Gold Cup with a victory on Friday against Suriname.
La Sele sits atop Group C, ahead of Jamaica due to the advantage in goals scored. Guadeloupe and Suriname are in third and fourth, respectively, after opening-match losses. The top-two teams will advance to the eight-team quarterfinal.
Costa Rica will be favored to beat Suriname, which is 136th in the FIFA rankings and is participating in its first-ever Gold Cup. But the South American nation was a worthy opponent against Jamaica despite a 2-0 loss.
If Jamaica and Costa Rica both take care of business on Friday, their meeting on Tuesday will determine which side wins Group C.
For Costa Rica, which has long considered itself one of the best in CONCACAF, the Suriname match will be another opportunity to return to form following the recent 600-day winless streak. For La Sele, reaching the Gold Cup quarterfinals is the bare minimum; their tournament will be judged based on their results against Jamaica and other top sides.
How to watch: Costa Rica vs. Suriname, Friday at 6:30 p.m. CST (8:30 p.m. local). Venue: Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Fla.). Tickets available here. On TV in the United States via Fox Sports. On TV in Costa Rica via Teletica and Repretel.
Watch all the goals and highlights from Costa Rica’s first Gold Cup match below:
