Argentina vs Costa Rica: Betting Odds & Prediction
(Featured image: Alamy Images)
Argentina and Costa Rica are set to meet in an international friendly in Los Angeles, California.
Both sides were victorious on Saturday. Argentina beat El Salvador 3-0 in a friendly in Philadelphia while Costa Rica won 3-1 against Honduras in a CONCACAF Nations League match in Texas. Kick-off is set for 2:50am UK time on Wednesday morning.
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Argentina
Argentina’s unbeaten run since being crowned World Champions in Qatar in 2022 was put to an end by Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier last November (a 2-0 loss in Buenos Aires). They didn’t let it faze them, bouncing back straightaway with a 1-0 win over Brazil in Rio five days later. Saturday’s victory against El Salvador was their six straight away win since lifting the World Cup aloft. All three goals in Philadelphia were scored by Premier League players (Cristian Romero, Enzo Fernandez & Giovani Lo Celso).
As well as winning their last six games on the road, Argentina also kept clean sheets in all those encounters. In fact, they haven’t conceded a goal away from home since Mbappe slotted home a 118th minute equaliser from the spot to take the World Cup Final to a shoot-out.
Argentina have been fast out of the blocks on their travels, too. They netted first half goals in five of their six most recent away wins. The defeat to Uruguay at the back end of 2023 is the only time Lionel Scaloni’s men haven’t netted in 27 matches, since a goalless draw with Brazil in November 2021.
Lionel Messi remains sidelined for this Los Angeles clash, after picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month while playing for Inter Miami. Saturday’s victory over El Salvador was the second successive match Argentina had won 3-0 with Messi missing. They also beat Bolivia by a similar scoreline last September without the presence of their superstar and talisman.
Argentina vs. Costa Rica kick off times:
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Costa Rica
Like Argentina, Costa Rica come into the game on the back of two victories over El Salvador and Honduras. It’s the first time they’ve had consecutive victories since recording pre-World Cup warm-up wins over Uzbekistan and Nigeria in 2022.
In Costa Rica's last six matches on the road, 29 goals have been netted in total (an average of 4.83 per game). Three of those games took place on United States soil. They were hit and miss during those six encounters, with three wins and three defeats.
They have secured five victories in 14 outings since the 2022 World Cup. None of those wins have came against opponents of Argentina's calibre, however (Honduras, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia and Martinique twice).
Prediction
Argentina rightly enter as firm favourites but there's little value on offer on the moneyline, where they come in at 2/9. The firepower of the World champions, even without Messi, should see plenty of goals however, especially given Costa Rica's habit of being involved in high-scoring games. Expect plenty of goal-mouth action in this one.