Bryan Ruiz’s goal early in the second half not only lifted Costa Rica to a 1-0 win over Jamaica on Tuesday night. It also helped the Ticos top Group C and earn a date with Canada in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals.
Although they’re no stranger to the knockout rounds, Costa Rica are still seeking a first Gold Cup title, with a 2002 final appearance the closest the Central American country has come to raising silverware.
Gold Cup champions in 2000, Canada appear to be on an upward trajectory under coach John Herdman and will be trying to take another important step forward ahead of World Cup qualifiers in the fall.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the game.
- RELATED: Gold Cup bracket
- RELATED: Gold Cup standings
When
- Sunday, July 25 | 7 pm ET
WhereÂ
- AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas
How to watch and streamÂ
- FS1, Univision, TUDN
What to know: Canada
Canada didn’t top the group, but they were arguably the most impressive team in Group B. If not for one defensive lapse inside the opening 20 seconds against the United States, Les Rouges would be taking on Jamaica in the nightcap Sunday instead of the USMNT.
But Canada’s last match of the group stage proved costly, with Toronto FC striker Ayo Akinola, who had become a valuable option off the bench, ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with a torn ACL. Cyle Larin is also out after leaving the USMNT game with a leg injury, a consequential development considering the Besiktas striker has scored a CanMNT record 10 goals in a single calendar year.
Stephen Eustaquio, who has been a vital cog in Canada's midfield, returns from yellow-card suspension.
What to know: Costa Rica
Just three matches into Luis Fernando Suarez’s tenure as head coach, Costa Rica won all three of their group stage games. Now, the veteran-heavy squad will look to have the good times roll back in the knockout round.
The Ticos enter without first-choice goalkeeper Leonel Moreira, who was sent off in the second-half against Jamaica for DOGSO. Of the two other goalkeepers on their Gold Cup roster, Esteban Alvarado, who saw out the match for the 10-man Ticos, is more experienced and likely to get the nod against Canada.
Although they've never squared off in the knockout rounds, the teams have regularly battled in the group stage. The most recent of eight showdowns came during the 2017 group stage with Chicago Fire FC defender Francisco Calvo canceling out Alphonso Davies’ opening goal in a 1-1 draw. Canada hold a slight edge in the Gold Cup series with a 2-1-5 record.
While Moreira is out, central defenders Calvo and Kendall Waston return from suspension.
