Trinidad and Tobago vs Costa Rica Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Trinidad and Tobago managed to scrape through their 4th round of World Cup qualifying despite picking up just one point from their final two matches. They eventually finished a point clear of Guatemala in 2nd place, but the 5th round fixtures are going to be a lot tougher to navigate.

They go up against the top two sides from all three groups in this final round of qualification, and the likes of Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and the United States will prove very tough opposition. Their chances of making it to Russia are rather limited.

Trinidad and Tobago’s form hasn’t dramatically improved since the end of the last round of qualification either. Their 2-0 loss to Martinique in the Caribbean Cup made it five defeats, one draw, and one win in their last seven games in all competitions. They are a bit more difficult to beat on home soil though, with just one normal time loss in their last nine matches, including an impressive draw against the United States.

This will come as bad news to Costa Rica. The visitors have a real chance of qualifying for Russia, but Mexico and the United States are both favourites to finish above them. They really need to win games like this if they want to challenge the top spots.

Costa Rica are in very good form coming into the game though. They won five and drew one of their six round 4 group games and put in a decent showing in the Copa America despite their group stage elimination. They picked up a point against Paraguay and beat Colombia, but their 4-0 loss to United States proved fatal.

Overall, the visitors have won six, drawn one, and lost one of their last eight matches. Their last away match saw them beat Russia in a friendly as well, so they definitely have the talents to punish Trinidad and Tobago. In particular there is Bryan Ruiz and Celso Borges, both of whom have over 20 international goals to their names. Backing either of them to score on Friday could be a good move.

Trinidad and Tobago have been difficult to beat at home recently though. They have lost just one of their last eight home games in all competitions, and they’re facing a Costa Rica side with just four wins from their last 12 away days. Considering this it’s surprising that Costa Rica are the bookies heavy favourites, despite their obvious advantage in terms of quality. I think the best value to be had is to back a Trinidad and Tobago Win or Draw Double Chance at 13/10 along with a 1-1 correct score prediction at 6/1.