Costa Rica returned from Brazil as shock World Cup 2014 quarterfinalists, but the feel-good vibes didn't last long. A month after the best performance in La Sele's history, the Costa Rica Football Federation parted ways with their coach, Jorge Luis Pinto. In an ugly press conference, the temperamental coach went off-script and revealed that contract talks broke down because the federation wouldn't let him fire assistant coach Paulo Wanchope. A nasty feud erupted and federation president Eduardo Li installed Wanchope as the new head coach.
In the years since, everything has changed. Li was indicted and extradited to the U.S. as part of a widespread FIFA corruption scandal. Wanchope resigned after fighting someone in the stands at a U-23 match in August 2015. Pinto now leads the Honduras Men's National Team.
In the aftermath of these scandals, Costa Rica went for a more low-key hire. They brought in veteran Alajuelense coach Oscar Ramirez. Like Pinto, Ramirez brings a defensive mindset to the squad, though he seems a little more flexible about his approach. The 51-year-old has helped the Ticos cruise through the early rounds of World Cup qualifying.
Strengths
The core of the World Cup crew remains, and it knows how to win against all odds.
Oscar Duarte, Cristian Gamboa and Johnny Acosta all featured in Brazil 2014 and lead a defense that also features talented newcomers like Kendall Waston and rising force Rónald Matarrita. La Sele has left-sided defender Bryan Oviedo back, as well, after the Everton defender missed the World Cup with a broken leg. Even with the team's biggest star -- Real Madrid goalie and UEFA Champions League winner Keylor Navas -- missing the tournament, the Ticos will be hard to score on.
Captain Brian Ruiz and Joel Campbell can be dazzling, albeit inconsistent, playmakers. Both spent time in the Premier League but struggled to succeed there. Midfielders Celso Borges and Yeltsin Tejeda, who both shined in Brazil and now play in top European leagues, contribute admirably on both sides of the ball.
Weaknesses
It's a massive loss that Navas withdrew from this summer's tournament wih an Achilles injury, even as some skeptics believe he's just taking a break. (If so, he has earned it.) But Costa Rica don't have backup goalie Esteban Alvarado, either. Nevertheless, Costa Rica might possess the most experienced third-string goalie in the world in Alajuelense's Patrick Pemberton. The knock against him is he struggles in big games, but that doesn't mean the 34-year-old lacks the talent to play in them.
Misconduct could be another issue. The team picked up two yellow cards and a red (Waston) in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Paraguay. Watson stubbornly picked up the red in the 94th minute and cost his national team their best defender in the air for the U.S. match.
X factor: Can they score?
Bryan Ruiz gave Costa Rica their best scoring opportunity in their Copa opener when he headed a corner kick right at the goal (and directly at Paraguay's goalie). Even if the captain is not the one to put the ball in the net, Ruiz must direct the attack. Campbell, who has burned the U.S. in the past, remains the team's other best scoring option.
Another idea: Will the team give an opportunity to Alvaro Saborio? The veteran D.C. United striker missed the World Cup after breaking a bone in his foot just weeks before the tournament. But at age 34, Saborio still might be the better option at forward than Marco Ureña, who offered little while playing the full 90 minutes versus Paraguay.
Outlook
The Ticos squandered a chance to move into prime position in Group A against an average Paraguay squad. The 0-0 tie puts them in a tough spot as they take on a desperate United States, who will be backed by rowdy pro-American crowd at Soldier Field in Chicago on Tuesday night.
Costa Rica rarely beat the U.S. on the road, although a tie seems feasible. But another draw would benefit the Americans, who finish the group stage against goal-shy Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia. La Sele finish the group stage with powerhouse Columbia. However, Los Cafeteros could clinch a spot in the knockout round on Tuesday. If that happens, they could take it easy on Costa Rica, and hobbled star James Rodriguez would certainly not play.
But we're getting too far ahead of ourselves. If the Ticos can't beat the U.S. outright, a repeat of their shock World Cup run seems unlikely.