Costa Rica vs. USA Predictions: USMNT to stumble through in San Jose

The final stages of World Cup qualification take place on Wednesday evening and the early hours of Thursday morning with the last remaining games in the Oceania and the CONCACAF confederations. Canada have already qualified in 1st place in North America but who will join them? We've asked @OddsT3rrier to preview the game between Costa Rica and the USMNT.

Surely the USMNT can't mess this one up? Gregg Berhalter's charges need only a win, draw or a loss of less than six goals here to qualify for World Cup 2022. However, this isn't their first time at this rodeo - the Stars and Stripes were in a similar position four years ago, needing just a point to qualify, to heartbreakingly lose 2-1 to Trinidad & Tobago.

This time they're up against a Costa Rica team that have been what you can only describe as a bogey team in the past; The US is 6-11-2 against Costa Rica in all World Cup matches and 0-9-1 in Costa Rica. Their only result was a 1-1 draw, way back in 1985 - four years before the oldest member of the current US roster, Gk Sean Johnson, was born. 

My first pick is for the US hoodoo to continue in Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica. As mentioned before they have picked up just one point in World Cup qualifying history away in Costa Rica. Los Ticos are bang in form, winning four of their last five in qualifying, including a 1-0 win over league toppers Canada.  USMNT will be on the back foot, desperate to avoid heavy defeat at all costs and Costa Rica will have the majority of the ball and a fervent home crowd behind them. Don't get me wrong, the US WILL qualify, but not with a result in San Jose.

Given the history, the form and the scenario, the 29/10 on the home team looks big value. 

My 2nd selection is based around Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell. The 29-year-old ex-Arsenal player has started 114 games for La Tricolor, scoring 23 goals and netted last time out against El Salvador. He has been boosted to 5/1 at Paddy Power to score anytime in the 90 minutes.