Costa Rica vs Haiti - prediction, team news, lineups
On the brink of an early exit from the CONCACAF Nations League, Costa Rica head into Sunday’s action needing a big win against Haiti at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa to have any hope of advancing.
A 3-0 win over Nicaragua on matchday three kept the Central Americans' hopes of advancing intact, though the Haitians are three points above them in second, thanks to a 4-1 win against the Dominican Republic.
At last, the Costa Ricans got their Nations League campaign on the right foot Thursday, though it might be too little too late.
Bryan Ruiz began his interim tenure as coach successfully, as Costa Rica won for the first time in 2026 and ended a five-match losing run.
To advance from the group phase once again, they must win this match, though the Haitians have a +6-goal differential, while the Central Americans are currently at 0.
This will be their third match ever in this competition at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, and the Costa Ricans have yet to triumph in a Nations League outing at that venue, losing 4-3 to Curacao on matchday one.
They have only lost their final group outing in this competition once before, when Panama beat them 1-0 in March 2023.
Los Ticos have yet to lose to Haiti on home soil this century, though that last triumph against them occurred in a World Cup qualifier back in 2015 (1-0).
A first-ever spot in the Nations League knockout stage is right there for Haiti heading into the final matchday.
David Badia’s men need only a point or to avoid a lopsided defeat on matchday four to guarantee themselves a spot in the last eight.
While it seems all but likely they will advance regardless of Sunday’s result, the Haitians could become the first Caribbean team to finish League A’s group phase with a perfect record, something which Curacao could also achieve.
Haiti have only suffered one away defeat in this competition before, with Curacao beating them 1-0 back in 2019.
After failing to score in their first two group outings at this summer’s World Cup, this side have netted a combined 11 goals in their last four competitive fixtures.
Les Grenadiers can extend their unbeaten run against Costa Rica to seven matches on Sunday and beat them on Central American soil for the first time since 1950 (1-0).
Former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas started between the sticks for Costa Rica on Thursday, with the 39-year-old picking up a clean sheet.
Orlando Sinclair, Carlos Mora and Kenyel Michel found the back of the net for them, with each strike coming in the final 45 minutes.
At Haiti, Lovend's Delinois earned his first senior cap, while Alexandre Pierre got the call between the sticks for a third match running.
Wilson Isidor netted a brace on matchday three, with Yassin Fortune scoring his first at this level and Louicius Deedson also finding the mark.
Navas; Sosa, Mitchell, Calvo, Araya; Murillo, Wilson; Michel, Mendez, Mora; Sinclair
Pierre; Arcus, Sainte, Delcroix, Experience; Deedson, Jean Jacques, Bellegarde, Picault; Pierrot, Isidor
It is desperate times for Costa Rica, but we do not believe they have the firepower to outlast a Haitian team who are so cohesive and deadly on the break.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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