Costa Rica and Belize enter the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup match with completely different mindsets.
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The Costa Rican nationals came away with an impressive 3-0 victory over Cuba in their tournament opener while Belize struggled to get anything going offensively in a 6-1 loss to the United States. Currently sitting in last place behind the U.S., Costa Rica and Cuba, Belize will take any amount of points in the upcoming game.
When and Where to Watch Gold Cup Match
Belize and Costa Rica will meet on Saturday, July 13th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Scheduled to start at 6:00pm, EST, the match can be seen on the FOX Soccer channel.
Those choosing to watch the game via on-line live stream can do so by visiting FOX Soccer 2 Go.
Match Preview
Michael Barrantes was brilliant in Costa Rica's 3-0 shredding of Cuba, recording 2 goals while leading his native squad to victory. A runner-up finisher in the 2002 Gold Cup, Costa Rica has a great chance to remain atop the Group C standings with the United States.
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Barrantes notched his first goal in the 52nd minute, starting a three-goal second half for Costa Rica after the 2 teams played to a scoreless opening frame. Recording another in the 77th minute, Barrantes and company made easy work of Cuba throughout the final 45 minutes.
Continued cohesiveness on the offensive side of the ball along with another strong performance from goalie Patrick Pemberton will certainly aid Los Ticos in claiming a second-consecutive victory against a Belize team that will surely be playing with a sense of urgency.
The Belizean nationals surrendered 3 first half goals to United States striker Chris Wondolowski in the first half of their 6-1 opening match loss and were never able to recover.
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Struggling to get anything going offensively as well, Belize's lone goal came in the 40th minute when Ian Gaynair sent a header through the pipes off a free kick from Elroy Smith but that would be the only offense the squad recorded.
The inability to keep pace with a talented Costa Rican offense coupled with glaring defensive woes could once again spell big trouble for the first time Gold Cup participants.
Wrap Up
Be sure to catch all the action between Costa Rica and Belize on Saturday, July 13th at 6:00pm, EST. Television coverage will be provided by the FOX Soccer Network with an on-line live stream available through FOX Soccer 2 Go.
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