Mexico vs. Costa Rica: Date, Start Time and Live Stream for 2015 Friendly
Mexico and Costa Rica will meet in a friendly on Saturday, June 27, as both teams start their final preparations for the upcoming 2015 Gold Cup. Kick-off in Orlando, Florida, is expected at 11 p.m. BST (6 p.m. ET).
All eyes will be on the form of El Tri, as the team is desperate for a strong showing at the Gold Cup after the disappointment of the Copa America. Mexico managed just two points on their way to a group-stage exit, well below the expectations.
Costa Rica won the Central American qualifying zone for the Gold Cup and are considered dark horses for the title this year, which would be the first in the nation's history.
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Date: Saturday, June 27
Time: 11 p.m. BST/6 p.m. ET
Venue: Citrus Bowl, Orlando
TV Info and Live Stream: The match will be broadcast on ESPN 2, with mobile coverage available via the ESPN Player.
Preview
Mexico knew they would be forced to split the squad into two teams to participate in both the Copa America and Gold Cup, giving manager Miguel Herrera a number of difficult decision to make. After a disappointing Copa America campaign, those decisions turned out to be the wrong ones, per ESPN FC's Tom Marshall:
Herrera prioritised the Gold Cup, a tournament El Tri are more likely to win, over the Copa America, but he likely didn't expect his side to bow out of the latter competition before the knockout stages.
The result means Herrera has had more time to prepare for the Gold Cup, but it also put a ton of pressure on his shoulders. Per Marshall, a strong showing at the Gold Cup is a must:
"The Gold Cup squad -- Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela, Guillermo Ochoa et al -- was watching on Friday from its camp in Mexico City and will head to the United States on Monday to continue preparations. Coach Herrera will also head north to join them earlier than he would've wanted and with an extra burden hanging from his shoulders.
Should Mexico not win the Gold Cup, it is unlikely Herrera would get the sack, but it sure would make his position difficult. That's just the deal when you are Mexico coach.
"
Mexico's top players were selected to the Gold Cup squad, and the likes of Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez and Guillermo Ochoa bring both quality and big-tournament experience, two things El Tri lacked in Chile.
According to Herrera, Chicharito should have joined his team-mates at the Copa America, but confusion over his contract with Manchester United and his loan deal with Real Madrid stopped him from making the call, as he told beIN Sports:
"We didn't know who to talk to in order to ask for Chicharito [Hernandez] to play at either the Copa America or the Gold Cup. We would love to have had Chicharito with us, but the 'what might have been' doesn't exist."
Regardless, Hernandez will now be a part of Mexico's Gold Cup squad, and big things are expected. Chicharito spent most of the 2014-15 campaign on Real Madrid's bench but showed flashes of his talent when he played, and a strong showing for El Tri could lead to more transfer interest during the summer.
Ochoa finds himself in a similar situation. The star of the 2014 World Cup, he moved to Malaga during the summer and immediately moved to the Spaniards' bench, leading to transfer speculation for the upcoming window, via Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson:
El Tri face a favourable Gold Cup draw, as they'll meet Guatemala, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago in Group C. Costa Rica won't have such an easy path to the knockout stages, forced to play Jamaica, Canada and El Salvador in Group B.
La Sele have opted to play as many strong opponents as possible ahead of the Gold Cup, and as a result, they've lost their last three matches. Positive performances against Spain and Colombia give hope for the Gold Cup, however, and a strong showing against Mexico is exactly what the team needs.
Like Ochoa and Hernandez, Joel Campbell needs to translate a strong summer into a transfer to the club of his dreams, and according to the Sun's Charlie Wyett, Benfica are watching the young forward.
Star goalkeeper Keylor Navas will not be starting for Costa Rica, and while the team looked impressive as a group during the 2014 World Cup, Navas' brilliance was key in their run to the knockout stages.
Without the Real Madrid stopper, it will be difficult for La Sele to replicate their defensive resilience, and with Hernandez and Vela leading Mexico's attack, that spells trouble. El Tri will be as motivated as ever after their disastrous Copa America showing, and look for them to turn their frustration into a win.
Final prediction: Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica
