The Concacaf Nations League Finals will finally begin with exciting semifinal matchups.Mexico and Costa Rica will battle for a place in the grand final at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver followingHonduras and USMNTâs clash. Here woul will find the starting lineups of both national teams.
El Tricolor head to this game asfrontrunners to be crowned in the inaugural edition of the tournament. Gerardo Martinoâs side has already beaten Los Ticos in March for an international friendly, and it is expected to be doing so again in this match. Costa Rica head to this game weakened with injured players and Covid positives. However, Ronald GonzĂĄlezâs boys will try to upset the favorites.
Both national teams have a long history of facing each other. They have met 55 times, with Mexico proving to be dominantwith 31 wins, while Costa Rica claimed only six victories, and theyâve tied in 18 matches.
Costa Ricaâs confirmedlineup in Concacaf Nations League semifinals
Costa Rica and Mexico clashed in an international friendly in March (Getty).
Los Ticos have been hit in the last few days with a Covid outbreak and injuries. Up to six players were ruled out for this crucial game, including many starters. Luis DĂaz and Barlon Sequeira were the latest ones to be sidelined both for this game and the subsequent friendly against the USMNT.
Before them, Felicio Brown, Kendall Waston, Ronald Matarrita, and Yael LĂłpez were also ruled out. Moreover, Gonzalez will also have to find an adequate replacement for Keylor Navas, who wonât be featuring in this window. This is how Costa Rica will line up:
Moreira; Fuller, Duarte, Calvo, Bryan Oviedo; Joel Campbell, Yeltsin Tejeda, Bryan Ruiz, Oviedo; Leal andAlonso MartĂnez.
Mexicoâsconfirmedstarting XI for Concacaf Nations League semifinals
The Mexican national team will try to win the inaugural Concacaf Nations League (Getty).
Gerardo Martino will have to decide who will fill RaĂșl JimĂ©nezâs shoes as Mexicoâs No. 9. The Argentine coach doesnât lack in options to make that call, but there are two names in contention for that vacancy. Club AmĂ©ricaâs Henry MartĂn or Sporting Kansas Cityâs Alan Pulido will lead El Triâs attack.
Moreover, with JesĂșs âTecatitoâ Corona presumably unavailable for a bit longer, promising midfield Diego Lainez might see first-team action after having a good performance in the friendly against Iceland. With powerful names including Hirving Lozano, this willbe Mexicoâs starting eleven to face Costa Rica:
Guillermo Ochoa; Araujo, Hector Moreno, Gerardo Arteaga; Edson Ălvarez, AndrĂ©s Guardado, HĂ©ctor Herrera, Diego Lainez; Hirving Lozano, Henry MartĂn,Uriel Antuna.
