Costa Rica had its problems during the first half of its Concacaf North American qualifying schedule, recording just one victory and six points over seven matches. The squad managed to turn things around, however, as it posted six wins and a draw in its final seven contests to finish fourth in its group. Costa Rica now attempts to earn a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup when it takes on New Zealand in the Concacaf-OFC playoff on Tuesday. New Zealand is appearing in the match after defeating the Solomon Islands 5-0 in the OFC qualifying playoffs.
Kickoff from Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar is set for 2 p.m. ET. Costa Rica is the -140 favorite (risk $140 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest Costa Rica vs. New Zealand odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while New Zealand is a +360 underdog. A regulation draw is priced at +205 and the over-under for total goals is set at 1.5. Before you lock in any New Zealand vs. Costa Rica picks or World Cup qualifying predictions, you have to see what soccer insider Jon Eimer has to say.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. The Indiana-based handicapper is 18-10 on his World Cup qualifying picks for SportsLine, for a return of well over $600 for $100 bettors. He also is 11-8 on his last 19 soccer picks overall, for a profit of more than $400 for $100 bettors.
Now, Eimer has broken down the Costa Rica vs. New Zealand matchup from every angle and just locked in his coveted World Cup qualifying picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for New Zealand vs. Costa Rica:
- Costa Rica vs. New Zealand spread: Costa Rica -0.5 (-130)
- Costa Rica vs. New Zealand over-under: 1.5 goals
- Costa Rica vs. New Zealand money line: Costa Rica -140, New Zealand +360, Draw +205
- CR: Los Ticos have allowed a total of one goal over their final six qualifying matches
- NZ: The All Whites yielded one goal in their five qualifying contests
Why you should back Costa Rica
Costa Rica was outscored 6-4 over its first seven World Cup qualifying games but had a 9-2 advantage during the second half of its slate. Seven different players have scored for Los Ticos over their last seven contests, with forwards Joel Campbell and Anthony Contreras tallying twice in that stretch. They share the team lead of two goals with midfielders Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz.
The 29-year-old Campbell has scored in two of his last three appearances for Costa Rica. He recorded the decisive goal in the squad’s 2-1 victory against El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier on March 27 and also tallied in a 2-0 triumph over Martinique on June 5. Defender Francisco Calvo did not record a goal during World Cup qualifying but joined Campbell on the scoresheet in the Concacaf Nations League win versus Martinique.
Why you should back New Zealand
The All Whites failed to score in two international friendly matches earlier this month but were explosive during their World Cup qualifiers, producing 18 goals over five contests. They netted four or more tallies in three of those games while receiving four two-goal performances. Forward Chris Wood notched two of them and leads New Zealand with five goals, while defender Bill Tuiloma and forward Alex Greive posted the others.
The 27-year-old Tuiloma ranks second on the team with three goals after scoring twice in the victory against the Solomon Islands. Wood, who has amassed 33 goals in 67 matches for New Zealand, posted two-goal efforts in 4-0 and 7-1 triumphs over Fiji and New Caledonia, respectively, that were just four days apart. The All Whites also were strong defensively during their qualifying matches, recording four clean sheets while allowing just one goal in their other contest.
How to make New Zealand vs. Costa Rica picks
Eimer has scrutinized the Costa Rica vs. New Zealand match from every angle, and he is leaning over on the goal total. He’s also provided another confident best bet and has a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing his coveted soccer picks and predictions at SportsLine.
So, who wins Costa Rica vs. New Zealand? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the New Zealand vs. Costa Rica match, all from the soccer expert who has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the world, and find out.
