With sole possession of first place in their qualifying hexagonal on the line, Mexico hosts Costa Rica in a crucial CONCACAF match. Tied atop the standings with an extremely talented Costa Rican team and the United States with 7 points, El Tri would love nothing more than to put on a good show in front of the home crowd at the Estadio Azteca.
Costa Rica comes of two-straight matches and although Mexico earned 4 points in their last two matches with a victory over Jamaica and a draw against Panama, El Tri's offense will need to be more effective against a Costa Rica team that hasn't allowed a goal in two consecutive wins over Honduras (1-0) and Jamaica (2-0).
When and Where to Watch Qualifying Match
In a match between two of the three teams tied atop the CONCACAF group, Mexico and Costa Rica will look to take over the top spot when they meet on Tuesday, June 11th at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The match will begin at 7:30pm, EDT with television coverage available through the ESPN Network.
An on-line live stream can also be viewed by following this link.
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El Tri vs. Costa Rica Breakdown
Costa Rica and Mexico enter Tuesday night's match feeling pretty good about their overall qualification standing. Tied with one another as this humongous contest in Mexico City approaches, Costa Rica hopes to continue their current winning streak. Roy Miller's goal in the 25th-minute of CR's win over Honduras last week was all the offense the team would need since the defensive effort was top notch.
The Honduran national team was able to fire off 8 shots but only 2 attempts went toward the goal. Costa Rican net minder Keylor Navas stopped both attempts that came his way, the first coming in the 8th minute when he clogged an Arnold Peralta shot from the right side and then stonewalled a deep Roger Espinosa shot in the 82nd minute, propelling Costa Rica to their second-straight qualifying win. If they continue to play strong on both sides of the ball, Costa Rica will wind up in the 2014 World Cup for the first time since the 2006 Germany games.
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While Costa Rica continues to win, El Tri remains in the World Cup qualification hunt as well. Despite the fact that they've earned only one win in their last 5 matches, El Tri hasn't been defeated, picking up 4 draws and a total of 7 points in hexagonal play. The Mexican national offense put 4 of their 11 shot attempts against Panama on goal in their last outing, unable to convert each of those attempts.
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez sent a header on Panama goalie Jaime Penedo in the 9th minute of the game but wasn't able to put enough on the shot. Attempts from Francisco Rodriguez, Giovani Dos Santos and a second from Chicharito later in the game all had chances to put El Tri in front but it just wasn't happening for the team that evening. As they prepare for Tuesday night's game at the raucous Estadio Azteca, El Tri hopes to ride the energy and emotion of the home crowd in hopes of putting a few shots through the pipes while retaking control of the CONCACAF hexagonal.
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Wrap-Up and Probable Lineups
With three points given for an outright victory, El Tri and Costa Rica understand the significance of this match as World Cup qualifying continues.
Be sure to catch all the action on Tuesday, June 11th from the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Start time between Mexico and Costa Rica is set for 7:30pm, EDT with television coverage available through the ESPN Network. An on-line live stream can also be viewed by following this link.
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