'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica go head-to-head in a mouth-watering friendly showdown at St. James' Park on Friday.
The Green head into the weekend on a run of four consecutive defeats across all competitions and will be looking to end this dry spell.
Saudi Arabia were left empty handed once again as they fell to a 2-1 loss against Bolivia at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium.
The Green have now lost their last four matches across all competitions, including successive defeats to Iraq and Oman in the Gold Cup.
Roberto Mancini has been tasked with preparing Saudi Arabia for the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup and the former Italy boss will be looking to begin his stint on a winning note.
Costa Rica, on the other hand, suffered a quarter-final exit from the 2023 Gold Cup as they fell to a 2-0 loss against Mexico last time out.
Prior to that, Los Ticos picked up a 6-4 victory over Martinique on July 5 which saw them snap their five-game winless run and finish as runners-up in Group C of the Gold Cup.
Costa Rica head into the weekend unbeaten in three of their last four away matches, claiming two wins and one draw since November 2022.
Saudi Arabia vs Costa Rica Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- With three wins from the previous four meetings between the sides, Costa Rica boast a superior record in the history of this fixture.
- Saudi Arabia have managed one win in that time, which came in September 1993, when they beat Los Ticos 3-1 at the Prince Mohd Aziz.
- Costa Rica are winless in six of their last seven matches, losing five and picking up one draw since late March.
- Saudi Arabia have lost their last four matches in all competitions, conceding eight goals and scoring four since January’s 2-0 victory over Yemen.
Saudi Arabia vs Costa Rica Prediction
While Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica will be playing for pride, we expect a thrilling contest at St. James' Park nonetheless. We predict both sides will cancel out each other’s efforts and settle for a share of the spoils.
Prediction: Saudi Arabia 1-1 Costa Rica
Saudi Arabia vs Costa Rica Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Over 4.5 cards - No (There have been fewer than five bookings in eight of Costa Rica’s last nine matches)
Tip 3: Over 10.5 corners - No (There have been fewer than 11 corner kicks in Saudi Arabia’s last six matches)
