Spain vs Costa Rica: Morata could be key in La Roja opener
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World Cup 2022: Spain vs Costa Rica odds, preview and tips
Spain won three major tournaments between 2008-12 and their run to the Euro 2020 semi-finals means they are 9/1 fifth favourites in the World Cup winner odds to repeat their success in South Africa.
Head coach Luis Enrique has mixed youth with experience in his 26-man squad and his players are 10/11 favourites to finish top of Group E ahead of Germany.
With a fairly easy opening game against Costa Rica, it is no surprise the Spain winning odds are available at 1/7 as we look at some of the main talking points ahead of Wednesday’s match.
Spain vs Costa Rica form
The Red Fury have struggled at the last two World Cups, failing to get out of the group stage in 2014 and eliminated in a penalty shoot-out with tournament hosts Russia at the round of 16 four years ago.
They were also in danger of missing out on an automatic place at Qatar when they lost 2-1 to Sweden, their first World Cup qualifying defeat since 1993, but Alvaro Morata’s late winner against the same opponents in Seville sealed top spot on the final day.
La Roja were unlucky to lose to Italy in the last four of the European Championship last summer, but despite a shock 2-1 loss at home to Switzerland they bounced back by qualifying for the Nations League finals thanks to another late winner from Morata in Portugal.
Costa Rica, 20/1 in the World Cup odds to cause a massive upset on Wednesday, finished fourth in qualifying and completed the 32-nation line-up with a 1-0 play-off victory over New Zealand.
Los Ticos famously finished top of a group comprising Italy, England and Uruguay in Brazil eight years ago when they beat Greece in the round of 16 to reach the quarter-finals, but they are unlikely to have similar success this time.
Spain’s possession-based game means Luis Fernando Suarez’s side are unlikely to see much of the ball so Morata to outscore the opposition at 7/5 in the World Cup betting seems a reasonable prospect.
Spain vs Costa Rica head to head
These two nations have never met in a competitive match, but Spain have come out on top in two of the three international friendlies.
Morata was on target in a 5-0 victory in 2017, two years after Spain fought back from conceding an early goal to post a 2-1 victory in Leon.
Spain are just 1/2 to win to nil again, but they can be backed at 23/20 to win both halves, while another unlikely win from behind is 11/1.
Spain vs Costa Rica team news
Luis Enrique sent Valencia left-back Jose Gaya home because of a minor ankle problem and called up Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde as his replacement
The Spain head coach must decide who accompanies Aymeric Laporte in central defence, with Pau Torres the favourite, and he also has decisions to make in attack.
Ferran Torres has scored just five goals for Barcelona this season, although encouragingly four of them have come since mid-October, while Morata has struck just six times for Atletico. Both players could start, though, alongside Ansu Fati.
🏆 @SEFutbol were on top of the world in 2010
🇪🇸 Can they add another trophy at #Qatar2022? pic.twitter.com/6TKPPvqeWX
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 15, 2022
Pablo Sarabia has yet to score for PSG in this campaign, so Morata is likely to get the nod up front in a 4-3-3 formation, with Pedri and Gavi pulling the strings in midfield.
Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas has not played a minute for PSG this season, but has been included in the squad despite picking up a back injury earlier this month.
Spain v Costa Rica goalscorer odds
Morata leads the way at 13/5 to open the scoring and is 5/6 to find the net any time, while Torres is available at 4/1 and 7/5 in the two markets in our Spain vs Costa Rica betting tips.
Sarabia scored twice during the Nations League campaign and is 7/2 and 5/4, while Gavi, who netted the first equaliser in a 2-2 draw in the Czech Republic, is 12/1 and 4/1. Fati is 3/1 and 21/20.
Dani Olmo has bagged three goals for Leipzig this season and struck twice in qualifying, so we go 5/1 and 9/5 in the two options.
Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell, who scored the crucial goal against the Kiwis, is 16/1 to draw first blood or 4/1 to strike any time.
Match Info
Where: Al Thumama Stadium, Doha
When: 16:00, Wednesday 23rd November
How to watch: ITV
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
