England’s wounded ‘Three Lions’ play for pride only in their final World Cup game today against Costa Rica who want another scalp to seal top spot in Group D after shocking Uruguay and Italy.
In a thrilling tournament with no pushover teams, the Central Americans have perhaps proved the biggest surprise, fully deserving wins over two former world champions that have taken them beyond the group stage for the first time since 1990.
Having beaten Uruguay 3-1 in their opener, then marked Italy’s Andrea Pirlo and Mario Balotelli out of the second game in a 1-0 win, the ‘Ticos’ are bouncing and will have no fear of England who they have never played before.
Even a draw would guarantee Costa Rica top spot and a last-16 match against the runners-up in Group C.
Though sticking to a five-man backline, Costa Rica have been anything but boring, with silky counter-attacks feeding speedy lone striker Joel Campbell and attacking midfielder Bryan Ruiz.
England, who had been looking at this fixture as their easiest in the group, will treat Costa Rica with respect but may understandably be more focused on their own tortured emotions after a miserable time in Brazil.
“Obviously we’re hurting,” said a despondent Wayne Rooney, whose first goal at a World Cup came against Uruguay but was little consolation for the humiliation of England’s first failure to progress past the group stage since 1958.
“We have to try and pick ourselves up for this game, go out fighting and show our pride,” he added.
Despite his failure, coach Roy Hodgson has been ratified to stay on for the 2016 European Championship and has no choice but to keep faith with England’s new crop of exciting young players and prevent the Brazil experience denting their progress.
Key stat
• Costa Rica are the fourth CONCACAF opponents England have faced in the World Cup after the United States (twice), Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago. The United States were the only one of those the ‘Three Lions’ failed to beat, having lost 1-0 in Brazil in 1950 and drawn 1-1 in 2010. The other two teams, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago, were defeated 2-0 in 1966 and 2006 respectively.