What we learned from Costa Rica winning 2-0 away to Trinidad and Tobago

Costa Rica has gotten their final round of World Cup qualifying off to a great start, recording a 2-0 win away to Trinidad and Tobago in a game where they never looked much like conceding a goal.

With away points being so valuable in the Hex, Costa Rica set up in a very conservative version of their 3-4-2-1 formation, taking very few risks going forward. What they probably didn’t anticipate was Trinidad and Tobago playing even more defensively despite being the home side. As a result, very little of note happened in the first half, save for an injury substitution. Los Ticos’ Francisco Calvo was hurt late in the half, and was replaced by Michael Umaña in the 41st minute.

Realizing there was little risk in doing so, Costa Rica started to venture forward a bit more in the second half, and the Soca Warriors couldn’t keep their clean sheet for long. Christian Bolaños scored the opening goal in the 65th minute, though he didn’t have a ton of work to do. T&T defender Daneil Cyrus never tracked his run and goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams was caught out of position, so when Cristian Gamboa hit a ball across the six yard box, all Bolaños had to do was tap it in uncontested.

Down a goal, T&T fought back and nearly equalized in the 69th minute. Defender Carlyle Mitchell ventured forward and unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Keylor Navas was equal to the challenge and made a solid save. While it wasn’t the Soca Warriors’ last shot, it was their last clear-cut chance, and Costa Rica was able to hold on for all three points.

In stoppage time, with T&T pushing forward, Costa Rica was able to grab a clinching goal on the break. Bolaños provided the setup with an excellent run through the center before laying off to Ronald Materria to finish off the counter attack and seal three points for his team.

Goals: None.

Goals: Bolanños (65’), Matarria (90’)

The pressure is on the USMNT and Mexico -- If CONCACAF’s assumed top two teams thought that Costa Rica wasn’t going to make life hard for them, they may be in for a surprise. Los Ticos weren’t dominant by any stretch of the imagination, but that they were able to get an away win without being seriously challenged suggests that they have just as much of a chance of finishing on top of the Hex as the big two do.

Joel Campbell should be starting for Los Ticos -- It makes sense that Costa Rica opted for an unselfish center forward in Marco Ureña and two experienced players behind him that are good at keeping possession, but leaving their most explosive attacker on the bench was probably a miscalculation. Though he wasn’t involved in the winning goal, Campbell changed the game the instant he came on for Costa Rica, and it was no surprise that his presence unsettled the T&T back line considerably.

Could the Hex have a clear top four and bottom two already? -- T&T joins Honduras in the losing column despite playing at home against a team that was not the United States or Mexico. Their extremely conservative setup suggested that they were fine with a point, and they couldn’t get it. It’s currently difficult to envision the Soca Warriors making a serious push for World Cup qualification.