DOHA (Reuters) – Spain play Costa Rica in the World Cup in Doha on Wednesday.
When: Wednesday Nov. 23, 1900 local (1600 GMT/1100 ET)
Where: Al Thumama Stadium, Doha
Capacity: 40,000
Odds:
Spain win: 1/7
Costa Rica win: 22/1
Draw: 6/1
Key stats:
* Spain are now one of the dominant forces of the world game, recently having won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 as well as the World Cup in 2010.
* Between November 2006 and June 2009 Spain enjoyed a record-equalling 35 match unbeaten run which included a 15 game winning streak.
* Spain won six out of their eight 2022 World Cup qualifying games, losing 2-1 in Sweden and drawing 1-1 at home to Greece.
* Costa Rica are the third most successful CONCACAF nation and have qualified for three World Cup finals.
* Costa Rica have failed to win their last six matches at the World Cup (in regular time).
* Costa Rica have won two (v Uzbekistan and Nigeria) and drawn one (v Korea Republic) pre-World Cup friendlies.
Previous meetings: The two countries have met only three times, all in friendly games. Spain won two of them — 2-1 in 2015 and 5-0 two years later — and one match ended in a 2-2 draw (2011).
(Compiled by Anita Kobylinska in Doha, Editing by Louise Heavens)
