Costa Rica vs Nicaragua Prediction: Hosts to cruise in San Jose

The CONCACAF World Cup 2026 qualification process has reached the third stage, with places at next summer's jamboree in the United States, Canada and Mexico inching closer.

Costa Rica's hopes of being there are under pressure after they started Group C with three straight stalemates.

They face the other winless side, Nicaragua, at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose in the early hours of Tuesday morning (03:00 BST) and anything less than a win could mean the end of their journey.

Below you will find my Costa Rica vs Nicaragua predictions, alongside the latest team news and match odds for the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier.

Team News

The hosts gave a first senior cap to Aaron Murillo in the draw with Honduras on Friday and he could hold on to a starting place here.

Veteran Celso Borges is nursing a slight knock, though Warren Madrigal returns to action after breaking his fibula and could appear at some stage.

Juan Luis Perez and Matias Belli Moldskred, who missed out on the first two qualifiers through injury, are back in the fold for the Nicaraguans, while Jason Coronel returned from suspension with a run off the bench against Haiti and will hope for a recall now.

Football Odds

Today's Football Fixtures

Costa Rica vs Nicaragua Odds

Costa Rica are expected to make no mistake and are 1/7 to gain a first victory in this group. The visiting Nicaraguans are as big as 16/1 to win, while the draw is priced at 6/1.

Both teams to score, which happened in the reverse game, is priced at 7/4 and the home side are 8/11 to score in both halves.

Costa Rica to score in both halves @ 7/10

Costa Rica have failed to fire in this group so far, squandering a lead against ten-man Nicaragua and needing a stoppage time leveller in a 3-3 draw at home to Haiti despite establishing a two-goal lead in the first half.

They played out a scoreless draw against Honduras in San Pedro Sula, though that was a decent point given they had just 28 per-cent possession.

In the second stage of qualifying, Costa Rica topped their group, scoring 17 times and conceding just once.

This summer, they beat Suriname 4-3 and Dominican Republic 2-1 at Gold Cup before stalemates against Mexico (0-0) and the USA (2-2, lost on penalties) saw them exit.

When they last hosted Nicaragua, in 2019, it was a 4-0 home win with goals in each half. They should win this contest and win well.

Nicaragua were 3-0 losers at home against Haiti last time out, conceding in both halves, and something similar in San Jose is preferred as a betting interest to the 1/7 odds on the home win.

World Cup Odds

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