Guzman injury biggest concern for Costa Rica after 1-0 win over inexperienced Scotland
by Steve Clare at Hampden Park, Glasgow
Costa Rica continued their World Cup preparation with a 0-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park. LAFC’s Marcos Ureña scored the decisive goal in the 13th minute as he slotted home an Oviedo pass.
Their side was hugely experienced and before the game head coach Oscar Ramirez had promised to start with the players who would likely start against Serbia in Samara on June 17. Only Saprissa’s Daniel Colindres had less than 35 previous caps and the side looked very composed as befits a side who had played together so regularly.
New manager Alex McLeish selected just one home based player Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna who was making his debut after 26 appearances and two goals for the Dons. To the delight of the crowd, Manchester United’s Scott McTominay who only opted for Scotland this week started the game.
The side contained four debutants, McKenna, McTominay, Kevin McDonald (Fulham) and Oli McBurnie (Barnsley). By contrast, the Ticos side was very experienced with two veterans Celos Borges (Deportivo La Coruna) and Bryan Ruiz (Sporting Lisbon) already beyond their 100th caps.
Scotland took a while to shake off opening night nerves although McTominay looked to be quality. But the Ticos were clearly the better side in a first half where they had 58% of possession. As the Scots began to become a bigger part of the game, Cardiff’s Callum Paterson headed wide when he should have tested Keilor Navas. Still by the 25th minute, the visitors had taken a massive 62% of the ball as Scotland chased shadows. When they had possession, the hosts passed the ball quickly although seemed short of genuine pace.
After that, the Scots were the better side. McBurnie finally tested Navas in the 28th minute with a regulation save but it lifted the 22, 488 home fans in attendance. Before the interval Oscar Duarte blocked another McBurnie effort.
Guzman’s injury looked relatively mild but was the one negative for Oscar Ramirez/Photo: Diego Diaz (Prost Amerika)
Four minutes after the interval, Ruiz hit the Scotland bar from a very narrow angle but that marked the high point for the visitors who began to make frequent changes thereafter. The first one was forced on Ramirez after McBurnie’s over enthusiastic attempt to control the ball out an end to David Guzman’s night in the 55th minute.
Shortly after McLeish began to ring the changes, putting a premature end to Cairney and McTominay’s night for the slightly more experienced Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor, earning his second cap.
On the 65th minute, Keilor Navas made his best save of the night after a full power blast by Matt Ritchie knocked the Real Madrid keeper over, but only after he’d palmed enough power onto the ball to force it over the crossbar.
Thereafter, Ramirez began to pull his starters off one by one and give playing time to Ian Smith, Francisco Calvo and Yendrick Ruiz.
After 76th hardworking minutes, Oli McBurnie departed to a well deserved ovation. Matt Ritchie passed up one more half chance for Scotland but the Ticos held on for a victory with only the injury to Guzman being a concern.
They go on to play Tunisia in Nice while McLeish takes his players to Hungary for the second friendly of the international break
Costa Rica XI: Navas, Acosta, Gonzalez, Duarte, Gamboa, Oviedo, Borges, Guzman, Ruiz, Colindres, Urena
Scotland XI: McGregor; Paterson, Robertson, Hanley, Mulgrew, McKenna, McTominay, McDonald, Cairney; Ritchie
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