GROUP C / COSTA RICA

*--* World Cup record: Played 4 (2-2-0); goals for: 4; goals against: 6 Best finish: Second round, 1990 1998 showing: Did not qualify Coach: Alexandre Guimaraes. Played on Costa Rica’s memorable 1990 team. The Ticos lost only one of 11 qualifying matches after he took over from Gilson Nunes Players to watch: Walter Centeno, Rolando Fonseca, Paulo Wanchope In brief: Costa Rica’s team has been on a downward spiral ever since it qualified for Korea/Japan ‘02, and the loss of defender Reynaldo Parks to injury only makes things worse. It opens against China, led by former Costa Rica coach Bora Milutinovic, and from there it gets even tougher. “We played like turtles,” bemoaned one Costa Rican newspaper after a recent loss to a Japanese club team Quick quote: “We won’t be playing to entertain, we’ll be playing to win.”-- Guimaraes Forecast: The Ticos peaked under Milutinovic at the Italia ’90 World Cup and do not have what it takes to get out of the first round this time around

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