Costa Rica vs. Mexico: Players to Watch in World Cup Qualifier

Mexico and Costa Rica sit at No. 1 and No. 2 in Group B, and their matchup will come down to a few key players.

Mexico has been extremely strong in qualifying thus far, posting a 2-0 record with victories over El Salvador and Guyana in the first two rounds. They will look to keep the momentum rolling against a Costa Rica team that also holds a win over Guyana and played El Salvador to a draw.

Mexico is the clear-cut favorite in this one; they have eight players on the roster that were a part of the country's gold-medal winning team at the 2012 Olympics and have traditionally found a way to beat the Costa Ricans, but they will still need good performances from their best players to find a way to win.

These are the top players that will play a huge role in the outcome of this game.

Javier Hernandez, Mexico

With Giovani dos Santos out, Javier Hernandez will need to step up and show that he can score goals for El Tri.

Hernandez was a big presence for Mexico in international play in 2011 as he scored 12 goals in 13 appearances, but this year he has only found the net twice in six appearances and has zero goals in World Cup qualifiers.

Hernandez' scoring drought hasn't affected the team too much against the likes of El Salvador and Guyana, but as the competition heats up for Mexico, they will need to find more production from their 24-year-old striker.

Alvaro Saborio, Costa Rica

If Costa Rica is able to pull off the upset in this game and either beat Mexico or earn a draw, it will most likely be because Saborio plays a brilliant game.

Saborio has been the team's offense and has scored four of the team's six goals in the first two qualifying games. The 30-year-old Saborio is an international veteran and represents Costa Rica's greatest threat near the goal.

Opportunities to score may be few and far between, but when they are able to advance the ball, it must be through Saborio as he gives them their best chance to score goals.

Keylor Navas, Costa Rica

Mexico should be able to attack for much of this game, so it will be up to Navas to deal with the pressure and give his team a chance to win.

Obviously, Navas will need a spectacular effort from his defense, but even if the Costa Rica defenders play well, he should still see quite a few shots in goal and will need to put his elite athleticism on display to keep the Costa Ricans in the game.

Navas is considered one of the more promising young goalkeepers in international play, so this game will be a stern test for him as he fends off a highly dangerous attack from El Tri. An astounding effort from Navas is an absolute must to keep Mexico from winning big in this one.