Costa Rica to face New Zealand in World Cup playoff
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Costa Rica to face New Zealand in World Cup playoff

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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rica will look to become the fourth team from Concacaf to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when they face New Zealand in the FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Play-Off on either June 13 or June 14 in Doha, Qatar.

By virtue of their Fourth-Place finish in the Final Round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying for Qatar 2022, the Ticos have advanced to the playoff match against the Kiwis, who defeated Solomon Islands, 5-0, on Wednesday to win the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Qualifying Tournament.

The Intercontinental Play-Offs for Qatar 2022 will take place over a single leg.

With a victory over New Zealand, Costa Rica would join Canada, United States and Mexico as Concacaf teams in the World Cup in Qatar.

The last time that a team from Concacaf faced the OFC representative in an Intercontinental Play-Off was in November 2013 when Mexico defeated New Zealand 9-3 on aggregate to secure a fourth Concacaf berth at Brazil 2014.

There has been just one match in the history of the Costa Rica and New Zealand National Team, an international friendly held on March 24, 2007 at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica defeated New Zealand 4-0 thanks to a brace from Alvaro Saborio and goals from Alonso Solis and Bryan Ruiz.