FIFA World Cup 2018 Brazil v Costa Rica

FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2018 Group E, June 22 Saint Petersburg Stadium 18 FIFA World Cup 2018 Brazil v Costa Rica Group E, June 22 PREVIEW Saint Petersburg Stadium

FIFA World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup 2018 Brazil v Costa Rica Brazil v Costa Rica Brazil focusGroup E, June 22 on NeymarGroup E, June 22 Saint Petersburg Stadium Saint Petersburg Stadium Reuters | Sochi Brazil 2 2 FIFAFIFA rank 23 23 Costa Rica 2 FIFA rank 23 2 FIFA rank 23 BRA 1-1 SUI Match 1 CRC 0-1 SRB BRA 1-1 SUI Match 1 CRC 0-1 SRB BRA 1-1 SUI Match 1 CRC 0-1 SRB HEAD-TO-HEAD HEAD-TO-HEAD razil take on Possible line-ups:Brazil 10 ,BRAC. Rica 1Danilo, 1-1 SUI Match 1 CRC 0-1 SRBPossibleBrazil 10 line-ups:C. Rica 1 Navas, Acosta, Gonzalez, Duarte, Costa Rica Silva, Miranda, Marcelo, Paulinho, HEAD-TO-HEAD Gamboa, CAlvo, Borges, Guzman, Ruiz, Bolanos, Urena Recent Recent today need- Casemiro, Willian,meetings Coutinho,Draws 0 , Brazil 10 C. Rica 1 meetings Draws 0 2015 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil 2015 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil B 2011 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil 2011 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil ing a win to avoid equal- Jesus WORLD CUP RECORD HEAD-TO-HEAD WORLD CUP RECORD ling their worst ever World 70 Wins 5 70 Wins 5 18 Draws 4 18 CostaDraws 4 Rica head 17 Losses 7 17 Losses 7 Cup run, but the focus of 2.11 Goals for* 1.06 2.11 Goals for* 1.06 0.98 Goals against* 1.50 0.98coachGoals against* Óscar1.50 Ramírez their concern is once again *Per match © GRAPHICBrazil NEWS 10 C. Rica*Per match1 © GRAPHIC NEWS not on the team but on one in- Fred is a doubt for may make one dividual - Neymar. Brazil coming into Recent change to the XI that The Paris St Germain player this game, but the meetings Draws 0 started the 1-0 loss loves the limelight but the at - main concern is with 2015 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil to Serbia. tention ahead of today’s game in their star player. Christian Bolanos St Petersburg has come for all the Neymar limped out 2011 Costa Rica 0-1 Brazil could come in for wrong reasons. of training with a WORLD CUP RECORD in NEYMARNeymar was criticised for his perfor- mance in Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Switzer- suspected ankle 70 Wins 5 attack after a bright JR. problem earlier this showing from the land in their opener last weekend. Recent 18 Draws 4 BRAZILHe was hunted down mercilessly by the week, but is expected 17 Losses 7 bench. Swiss,FORWARD• drawing AGE 26 10 of Brazil’s 19 fouls, as many to play todaymeetings2.11 1.06Draws 0 as some entire teams. Brazil have named Goals for* World’s mostBut expensivehe was player also below par and showed lit- 0.98 Goals against* 1.50 wants to shine in Russia to put as 2015 Costa*Per match Rica 0-1© GRAPHICBrazil NEWS 2014tle World sign Cup of fiasco the behind form that made him the world’s captain for today’s himmost and win expensive the Ballon d’Orfootballer when Paris St Germain Factbox signed him from Barcelona last August. match in a con2011- Costa» Brazil will Rica have been left0-1 reeling fromBrazil their Left foot POSITIONWorse, many fans thought he was playing for him- tinuation of their 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Sunday and will self rather than his country. long-standing policy hope to improve when they meet Costa Rica in NEYMAR Paris SG Neymar limpedFrance out of Tuesday’s7 training session of rotating the team WORLDFriday’s early kick CUP off. RECORD JR. with a sore ankle, but he is expected to be fitRight for foot what leadership. » Costa Rica, too, need to up the ante when they could be Brazil’s1.75 fourth m / 68 kg World Cup match without face Brazil. However, they face an uphill strug- BRYAN BRAZIL a win, an unwanted streak that would equal their 70 gle in their bid toWins progress to the next round of 5 FORWARD• AGE 26 12 poorest such run ever, recorded in 1974-1978. the World Cup after their 1-0 loss to Serbia. RUIZ World’s most expensive player Their opponents in St Petersburg are also desperate 18 » One would expectDraws Brazil to improve when they 4 wants to shine in Russia to put for points after they lost their opener to Serbia. take on Costa Rica and get their World Cup up 2014 World Cup fiasco behind GOALS FOR CLUB IN 2017-18 17 and running here.Losses 7 him and win the Ballon d’Or INTERNATIONAL CAREER RECORD Stats NEYMAR Left foot 54 GOALS 2.11 1.06 POSITION » Costa Rica’s only previous World Cup victory against South American oppositionGoals came for* in the 2014 tournament (3-1 vs Uruguay). They’d JR. 84 MATCHES lost their previous three against CONMEBOL sides beforehand. Paris SG 2005 10 15 18 France 7 » ’s against Switzerland0.98 was his 11th for BrazilGoals – five of those against* have come from outside the box.1.50 BRAZIL Right foot WORLD CUP FORWARD• AGE 26 » Costa Rica lost their first match against Serbia, ending a five-game unbeaten run at the World Cup finals – they haven’t lost back to back 1.75 m / 68 kg COPA AMERICA World Cup games since June 2006, when*Per they lostmatch four in a row. © GRAPHIC NEWS OLYMPICS World’s most expensive player Brazil are winless in three World Cup matches (D1 L2), their worst run since June 1978, when they went four matches without a win. 12 CONFEDERATIONS CUP » wants to shine in Russia to put » Against Serbia, striker Marco Ureña had just 14 touches in 67 minutes for Costa Rica, with three of those in the opposition box – his 2014 World Cup fiasco behindOTHER MAJOR TROPHIES him and win the Ballon d’Or replacement, Joel Campbell, had 24 touches and four in the opposition box. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE » Brazil conceded from the first shot on target they faced at the 2018 World Cup – from their last 13 shots on target faced at the World Cup, GOALS FORLeft CLUB foot IN 2017-18 POSITION they have conceded 10 goals. SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP INTERNATIONAL CAREER RECORD FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP FIFA World Cup 2018 Paris SG 7 54 France GOALSWinner Finalist Participation 84 MATCHES Data as of May 29, 2018Right foot Sources: LFP/Transfermarkt 1.75 m / 68 kg 2005 10 15 18 FIFA WorldFIFA Cup World 2018 Cup 2018 WORLD CUP 12 Nigeria v Iceland COPAIt AMERICA is going to be a difficult game It’s the same team that is Whenever the ball came to OLYMPICS Group D, June 22 CONFEDERATIONSas are all CUP games in the World going to start thatNigeria stated Nigeria v Iceland v IcelandNeymar, he slowed the game Cup. They are a good team. We against Switzerland. We Volgograd Arena down, irrespective of whether OTHER MAJOR TROPHIES GOALS FOR CLUB IN 2017-18 Group D, JuneGroup 22 D, June 22 saw the game against Serbia, want to win, it’s a World it was the right thing to do or INTERNATIONAL CAREER RECORDCHAMPIONSand it LEAGUE was only decided through Cup, but the coach is notVolgograd FIFA World ArenaVolgograd Cup 2018 Arenanot. Because he knows he has 54 COPA LIBERTADORESGOALS 84 aSPANISH dead CHAMPIONSHIPMATCHES ball situation. This is going to play with the players’ the talent to change games, you FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP Nigeria v Iceland 2005 10 another15 18opportunity for us health. It’s too big a risk get the impression Neymar wants to Winner Finalist Participation Group D, June 22 Data as of May 29, 2018 Sources: LFP/Transfermarkt be the one to do that something special PHILIPPE COUTINHO WORLD CUP BRAZIL COACH Volgograd Arena COPA AMERICA FORMER FRANCE DEFENDER MARCEL DESAILLY OLYMPICS CONFEDERATIONS CUP

OTHER MAJOR TROPHIES

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIFA World Cup 2018 FIFA World Cup 2018 Iceland step into the heat for NigeriaNigeria v Iceland showdownNigeria v Iceland COPA LIBERTADORES Group D, June 22 Group D, June 22 SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP Volgograd Arena Volgograd Arena FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP WinnerReutersFinalist | Volgograd,Participation Russia dreaming of the knockout stage and Nigeria 4848 4848 FIFAFIFA rankFIFA rankFIFA rank22 2222 Iceland Data as of May 29, 2018 Sources: LFP/Transfermarkt 48 FIFA rank 22 48 FIFA rank 22 writing a new chapter in one of the NGR 0-2 CRO Match 1 ISL 1-1 ARGNGR 0-2 CRO Match 1 ISL 1-1 ARGNGR 0-2 CRO Match 1 ISL 1-1 ARG NGR HEAD-TO-HEADCRO NGR CRO ISL ARGISLHEAD-TO-HEAD ARG celand will try not to melt in the most outstanding stories of internation- NGR Nigeria0-2 0 0-2 Iceland 1CROMatch 0-2 Match 1 Match 1 1-1 ISL 1 Nigeria1-1 0 1-1ARGIceland 1 Ifierce heat of Volgograd when they al football in recent years. HEAD-TO-HEAD Recent Recent take on Nigeria in only their second In their way stand not only Nigeria, meetings DrawsNigeria 0 0 Iceland 1meetings Draws 0 1981 Iceland 3-0 NigeriaHEAD-TO-HEADHEAD-TO-HEAD 1981 Iceland 3-0 Nigeria ever World Cup match today after im- who are desperate for a win after losing WORLD CUP RECORD WORLD CUP RECORD 5 Wins 0 HEAD-TO-HEAD 5 Wins 0 3 Draws 1 3 Draws 1 pressively holding twice champions their opening game 2-0 to Croatia, but 11 Losses 0 11 Losses 0 Nigeria1.05 0Goals for* Nigeria1.00 0 Iceland 11.05 GoalsIceland for* 1.00 1 Argentina to a draw at the weekend. also the challenge of searing tempera- 1.47 Goals against* 1.00 1.47 Goals against* 1.00 *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS World Cup debutantes Iceland are tures in the southern Russian city. Nigeria 0 Iceland 1

Recent Victor Moses meetings Draws 0 Gylfi Sigurdsson Possible line-ups: Uzoho, Shehu, 1981 Iceland 3-0 Nigeria Possible line-ups: Halldorsson, Saevarsson, Troost-Ekong, Balogun, Idowu, Ndidi, Arnason, Sigurdsson, Magnusson, Etebo, Iwobi, Mikel, Moses, Ighalo WORLD CUP RECORD Gudmundsson, Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson, Recent Recent5 Wins 0 Bjarnason, Sigurdsson, Finnbogason. Leon Balogun came 3 Draws 1 meetings meetings Draws 0 DrawsJohann 0 Berg Gudmunds- through the 2-0 11 Losses 0 loss to CroatiaRecent un- son is out with a calf 1981 Iceland19811.05 3-0IcelandGoalsNigeria for* 3-0 Nigeria1.00 problem, with Rurik scathed and shouldmeetings 1.47 Goals against* 1.00Draws 0 start here once Gislason expected to WORLD*Per match CUPWORLD RECORD ©CUP GRAPHIC RECORD NEWS more. Factbox deputise. 1981 Iceland 3-0 Nigeria Other than that, head Gernot Rohr could5 » 5Nigeria need a positive result here to improve0 0 name the same XI their chancesWins of securing a last-16Wins spot here. coach Heimir Hallgríms- WORLD» With Argentina outCUP of the way,RECORD they’ll be looking son will likely see no For reservations call that started the3 3 Draws Draws 1 1 defeat to Croatia to secure a first ever World Cup win. reason to tinker with the » Indeed, Iceland could secure a narrow victory +973 17364999 (seef District) last Saturday.11 5 11 Losses Losses 0 0XI that0 started the 1-1 +973 17728699 (um Al Hassam) this one. Wins draw with Argentina. 1.05 1.05 1.00 1.00 3 Goals for*DrawsGoals for* 1 1.47 1.47Goals against*Goals against*1.00 1.00 11 0 *Per match *Per match Losses© GRAPHIC NEWS© GRAPHIC NEWS 1.05 Goals for* 1.00 1.47 Goals against* 1.00 *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS