Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the opening matches of the CONCACAF Gold Cup will take place on Monday at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, where Costa Rica will face Suriname. I suggest betting on goals in this encounter, with a promising odds value.
Match preview
The Costa Rica national team continues to be one of the most stable and dangerous sides in the CONCACAF region. Although they no longer hold the status of a World Cup dark horse, the Costa Ricans confidently handle mid-tier and weaker opponents. In their recent official matches, they thrashed Belize (7-0 and 6-1), the Bahamas (8-0), and defeated Trinidad and Tobago (2-1).
Under the guidance of an experienced coaching staff, Costa Rica focuses on attacking football with rapid wing play and high pressing. Their only recent defeat came in a friendly against Catalonia, which has no impact on their tournament form. Heading into the clash with Suriname, Costa Rica are in excellent shape and will be eager to start the Gold Cup campaign on a strong note.
Suriname, managed by Dutch coach Stanley Menzo, is steadily progressing and adding players with experience from European leagues. The squad features names familiar to fans of Dutch football: Vaaßen, Haps, Lonwijk, van Gelderen. The team is gradually raising its level, having won recent matches against Martinique (1-0 and 1-0), Puerto Rico (1-0), and drawing with El Salvador.
However, Suriname have yet to convince against truly serious opponents. Their recent defeat to Canada (0-3) in the CONCACAF Nations League showed that they still look timid when facing the region's top teams. The match against Costa Rica will be a real test to see whether Suriname's ambitions are backed by genuine quality.
Probable lineups
- Costa Rica: Sequeira, Calvo, Vargas, Mitchell, Quiros, Madrigal, Flores, Zamora, Vargas, Martinez, Ugalde
- Suriname: Vaaßen, Haps, Denswil, Abena, van Gelderen, Pinas, Malone, Kuyst, Lonwijk, Becker, Vlijter
Match facts and head-to-head
- Costa Rica is ranked 54th in the FIFA rankings, while Suriname is 137th
- Costa Rica have won 4 of their last 5 official matches
- Suriname have failed to win in 3 of their last 6 outings
Prediction
Given their current form, squad depth, and experience, Costa Rica are clear favorites in this matchup. They confidently defeat weaker opponents and play with a well-defined structure. Suriname have potential and some intriguing talents, but are still emerging as contenders at the CONCACAF level. Our prediction: Costa Rica to win at odds of 1.76.
