ORLANDO, Florida.- Costa Rica started the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup on the right foot and pocketed their first three points against Guadeloupe with a 3-1 victory. In the midst of having a new head coach, Luis Fernando Suarez, young players and a team that has not had that many opportunities to play together, the Ticos pulled it off.
The victory over Guadeloupe has Costa Rica in the top spot in Group C, giving them a sense of relief from the first-game jitters and fuel for the next matches.
Costa Rica DF Kendall Waston noted that playing more gives you confidence, and winning always gives a team the joy and positive vibes for what is to come.
“It has been a very nice [team] environment. The truth is that the group is very happy and every day we try to do things, work that unites us with all of the coaching staff and players. We can do things and that the main thing is to enjoy what we do,” said Waston to Concacaf.com after the match against Guadeloupe.
Waston pointed out that being able to do what you do with joy and not as a task has a positive effect on the outcomes, something that he has noticed in the current Ticos squad.
“It’s not like going to a job and doing things out of obligation, but instead enjoying it, because enjoying it you can do more things,” said Waston.
Although Costa Rica has just played one game of the group stage, Waston feels like this team could go far in the cup. As a veteran of past Gold Cup teams for Costa Rica, Waston has a good feeling about the current roster.
“Perhaps it is very premature for comparing things, but I do think that now we really want to win, and we are going with high expectations to achieve this cup,” concluded Waston.
