Costa Rica fans eye Qatar return after securing World Cup spot

The Central American workforce beat New Zealand 1-0 on Tuesday night to safe the final remaining berth for the World Cup.

costa rica players
Costa Rica shall be making their third straight look on the World Cup [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Doha, Qatar – Costa Rica followers closely outnumbered their New Zealand counterparts on the Ahmad Bin Ai Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday night.

Whereas the gamers did not placed on their finest present within the center for these followers, an early Joel Campbell objective was what it took to take the workforce to their sixth World Cup.

The Central American nation beat the All Whites 1-0 in Doha, securing a spot within the World Cup’s Group E which incorporates Spain, Germany and Japan.

FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifier - Costa Rica v New Zealand - Al Rayyan Stadium, Doha
Costa Rica followers closely outnumbered their New Zealand counterparts [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

“It’s so good to know we shall be again in Qatar later this 12 months,” a jubilant 60-year-old Bernardo Rodrigues, who had flown in from the Costa Rican capital San Jose, instructed Al Jazeera after the ultimate whistle.

“All night time individuals again house, together with our households, shall be on the streets,” Rodrigues stated whereas celebrating with a number of of his mates after the sport.

This would be the third consecutive World Cup look for Costa Rica. Nicknamed the Ticos, the workforce took half in 1990, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018 tournaments.

For New Zealand, it was the third straight playoff loss – a defeat to Mexico in 2014 and to Peru 4 years later.

Costa Rica versus New Zealand
Costa Rica Jewison Bennette fights for the ball with New Zealand’s Clayton Lewis [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Grief for New Zealand

New Zealand followers had been understandably dejected. The workforce made its final World Cup look in South Africa in 2010.

“The early objective actually simply obtained us chasing the entire time,” New Zealand fan James Foong instructed Al Jazeera. “The VAR choice [overturned goal] was unlucky and I assumed was a bit harsh.”

Nevertheless, Foong stated he was “very pleased with the younger workforce” whereas singling out striker Chris Wooden’s efficiency for reward.

New Zealand goalkeeper Oli Sail
New Zealand goalkeeper Oli Sail appears to be like dejected [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

It was Wooden placing the ball at the back of the online within the thirty ninth minute that referee Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed overturned after consulting the pitch-side VAR monitor, deciding a foul had been dedicated within the build-up.

All Whites coach Daniel Hay didn't maintain again in his criticism, calling the refereeing “completely atrocious”.

“I feel they’ve allow us to down by placing any person in cost that clearly has not officiated at this kind of degree,” he stated in his post-match feedback on Tuesday.

‘Nice publicity’

Ticos fan Javier Vargas instructed Al Jazeera that qualifying for the World Cup was “nice publicity” for his nation of simply 5 million.

“After we competed in Germany [2006], plenty of individuals world wide I really feel had been speaking about us,” Vargas stated.

When requested what he thinks his workforce’s likelihood is in November – towards the likes of Spain and Germany of their group – Vargas stated he hopes for “one thing particular” once more like in 2014 in Brazil the place Costa Rica reached their first-ever quarter-final.

“We needed to face England, Uruguay and Italy [in the group stages], all former world champions and we nonetheless succeeded,” Vargas identified.

INTERACTIVE - Teams that have qualified for World Cup 2022

Vargas, along with different Ticos followers in attendance, confirmed a glimpse of the keenness that shall be on show when Costa Rica begins its World Cup marketing campaign on November 23 towards Spain.

Some 6,000 supporters draped of their nationwide colors had arrived in Qatar’s capital Doha to cheer their workforce on. Contained in the stadium, there was continuous singing, shouting and taking part in the trumpet – earlier than, throughout and even after the sport.

Supporters chanted phrases like “Sure you may” and “We’re right here till the ultimate minute,” drowning out any noise that the New Zealand followers made to cheer on their workforce.

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