Colombian coach Luis Suarez won with Costa Rica and got into the fight for a place in the world cup

With a goal by veteran Celso Borges, the Costa Rican team won with suffering at home 1-0 on the leader and until this Thursday undefeated Canada, a result with which the Ticos get into the repechage zone on the way to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

A header by Celso Borges in the 45th minute was enough for Costa Rica to snatch the undefeated Canadian team that despite playing with one man less since the 33rd minute, never lowered its arms and perhaps deserved to take at least one point from the San Jose National Stadium, which this Thursday was a caldera with its 35,000 crowded locations for the first time in the covid-19 pandemic.

With this result and with two rounds to play, Costa Rica gets into the repechage zone with 19 points, behind Cana da (25), the United States (22) and Mexico (22), and above Panama (18), El Salvador (10), Jamaica (8) and Honduras (4).

Costa Rica went all out in search of the goal, pushed Canada's exit and played better in the first quarter of an hour, but found no clarity to overcome the block of three central defenders and two wingers placed by the visiting team.

Two headers by Francisco Calvo and one by Celso Borges in set-pieces were the clearest choices that Costa Rica had in the first half hour of play,

Canada settled better on the pitch after the initial pressure of the Ticos and began to find spaces for its characteristic vertical attack game led by the fast Tajon Buchanan and Richmond Laryea by the bands. However, the Costa Rican defense behaved up to the task and did not allow occasions that put Keylor Navas' goal at risk.

A tough entry from Mark Kaye to Ronald Matarrita was reviewed at the VAR by Honduran judge Said Martinez, who maintained his decision to only show the Canadian midfielder a yellow card, which caused the discomfort of Costa Rican players. However, a few minutes later, at 33rd, Kaye was expelled when he accumulated another yellow for a foul to Venegas.

In the last play of the first half, Gerson Torres teamed up with Joel Campbell in the penalty area and sent a cross that Celso Borges headed to put the ball out of reach of goalkeeper Milan Borjan and open the score.

Stephen Eustaquio came close to giving Canada the draw with a crossed shot inside the box after a great collective play in the 64th minute, and then it was, at the 73rd minute, a double shot, Laryea's first shot, rejected by Keylor Navas, and another immediate head by Buchanan, who crashed into the horizontal.

Canada dominated the entire second half as if it had not resented Kaye's expulsion, while Costa Rica blurred, had no possession of the ball and held up at Keylor Navas' stops and the strength of a defence that has not conceded goals in the last 4 knockout matches.

Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez was proud of his team's performance in Thursday's 1-0 win against Canada and said he “takes off his hat” to the footballers' response in the 2022 World Cup qualifier.

Costa Rica recorded a poor start to the tie, but has won 13 of the last 15 points and has not conceded goals in the last 4 matches, which has allowed it to enter the playoff zone with two rounds left before the end of the Octagonal Final of Concacaf. On the next day Costa Rica will visit El Salvador on Sunday, while Canada will host Jamaica.

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