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Costa Rica will entertain Panama at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá in the first leg of the CONCACAF Nations League on Thursday.
The hosts are one of the four teams to secure a direct berth in the quarter-finals. They will play for the first time since September, when they registered a 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia and suffered a 4-1 loss to UAE in the two friendlies played that month.
The visitors, meanwhile, secured their place in the quarter-finals after finishing as table toppers in League A Group A. They enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stage, recording three wins. In their previous outing, they registered a 3-0 home win over Guatemala last month, thanks to goals from Adalberto Carrasquilla, Eric Davis, and Abdiel Ayarza.
The hosts finished fourth in the inaugural edition of the Nations League while the visitors came up fourth last time around.
Costa Rica vs Panama Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two Central American rivals have locked horns 60 times in all competitions with that meeting coming in 1938. The hosts have dominated proceedings against the visitors with 31 wins. The visitors have got the better of their northern rivals 17 times and 12 games have ended in draws.
- They have met twice in the Nations League, with both meetings coming in the group stage of the previous edition of the competition. The visitors recorded wins in these meetings while also keeping clean sheets.
- Panama have won three games in a row against Costa Rica, including a 2-1 win in the group stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June earlier this year.
- Nine of the last 11 meetings between the two teams have produced under 2.5 goals.
- The hosts have just two wins in their last nine games in all competitions.
Costa Rica vs Panama Prediction
Los Ticos have just three wins in their 10 games in 2023, with two of them coming away from home. They have lost six times this year and have failed to score four times in 10 games. Interestingly, they have lost four of their last five home meetings against the visitors, failing to score in three games in that period.
They have just one win in their four home games in the Nations League, failing to score twice in that period. Two of their four defeats in the competition have come against the visitors, which is a cause for concern.
Los Canaleros head into the match in good form, winning four of their last five games. They have lost just one of their last 11 games in all competitions, with that loss coming against Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
They have lost just once in their last eight meetings against the hosts, recording six wins, and are strong favorites. They have kept five clean sheets in that period and will look to continue their defensive form in this outing.
Considering the visitors' current form and better record in recent meetings against the hosts, we back them to register a narrow win.
Prediction: Costa Rica 1-2 Panama
Costa Rica vs Panama Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Panama to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Adalberto Carrasquilla to score or assist any time - Yes
