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Panama face Costa Rican challenge in World Cup qualifier

Xinhua, November 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Panama team coached by Colombian Hernan Dario Gomez are in for a real challenge on Tuesday when they face Costa Rica in the fourth round of the World Cup Russia 2018 Concacaf Qualifiers.

The match, which will take place in Panama City's Rommel Fernandez Stadium, will be of particular interest due to the current positions of the two teams in the league table.

Surprisingly Panama is leading Group B after beating Jamaica 2-0 in Kingston on Friday in the first match of the round. Costa Rica is second in the group after winning 1-0 against Haiti at home. The only thing that currently separates the two teams is one goal in goal difference.

Going in to the qualifiers, fans were worried about Panama's level due to the side accumulating a 12-match losing streak in recent months.

The three points that Panama took from Jamaica lessened the criticisms about the team's performance, however, the commentators and local fans know the importance of the match against Costa Rica, who are one of the favorites in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf).

After the Panama--Jamaica match, Gomez said that he would have to decide whether to face Costa Rica with two forwards or just one. On Tuesday his decision will be revealed on the pitch.

Panama's fans are particularly interested in the qualifying process since the team have never qualified for a World Cup. Furthermore, in the last Concacaf qualifiers the team came the closest ever to advancing to the play-offs for a place in the tournament, but after conceding two goals to the United States in stoppage time their World Cup Brazil 2014 dream was over.

The return of goalkeeper Jaime Penedo (recently played for LA Galaxy, U.S.) is Panama's most important news ahead of Tuesday's match. However the team's goalkeeper was well-replaced by Jose Calderon (Platense F.C., Honduras) in the match against Jamaica. Penedo missed the match as he was fulfilling a punishment he received during the Concacaf Gold Cup played in the U.S. in July.

Panama's midfielder Valentin Pimentel (San Francisco, Panama) is still in doubt due to an injury, according to local media.

On Costa Rica's side, midfielder Celso Borges, from the Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna will be the most notable absence. He fractured his fifth metatarsal on his left foot during the Haiti match.

Also, goalkeeper Keylor Navas (Real Madrid, Spain), forward Johan Venegas (Montreal Impact, Canada) and center-back Oscar Duarte (Club Brugge, Belgium) will be missing from the Costa Rica team due to injuries. Endi