One of the red-hot favorites for World Cup glory this summer will open their Group C campaign on Friday morning, as Spain take to the field for the first time in New Zealand. The Spanish will begin their quest for a first major honour in Wellington as they take on Costa Rica.
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Spain are one of the nations that I am most excited to see at the World Cup this summer, and they could be a team well-suited to going all the way. They are stacked with quality across the field, and don’t have nearly the same level of injury issues that many other countries are having to deal with. Spain caught the eye at the EUROs last summer, as they reached the last eight. Their possession-based style also worked to great effect at the 2019 World Cup, as they reached the round of 16 before being edged out by the United States.
The nation comes into this summer’s World Cup in excellent record form, as they have won seven of their last eight international matches this year, and 12 of their last 14 since losing 2-1 to England at last year’s EUROs.
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Costa Rica will be making their second appearance at the World Cup this summer. They previously reached the tournament in 2015, but they exited in the group stage after picking up two draws and a defeat. However, they enjoyed a fine summer last year, as they finished fourth at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
But, their form across the last two years would be a huge concern. This year, they have picked up just a single victory from nine international matches, which includes defeats against South Africa, Nigeria, and Poland. This looks like a very tall order for this Costa Rica side.
Spain vs Costa Rica Head to Head
This will be the second meeting between Costa Rica and Spain at the World Cup. The previous meeting came in the opening round of matches at the 2015 World Cup, as the nations shared the points following a 1-1 draw.
Spain vs Costa Rica Prediction
Spain is my pre-tournament pick to win the tournament, and they should have far too much for this Costa Rica side in their opening match. I fully expect the Spanish to run riot in Wellington, and the best bet may be on the European side on the (-3) handicap.
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