Costa Rica manager Luis Fernando Suarez must work around the absence of centre-back Francisco Calvo for Thursday's crucial World Cup 2022 Group E showdown with Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Needing to win to ensure a last-16 place and eliminate Die Mannschaft, Calvo will serve a suspension after picking up his second booking of the competition in the weekend's victory over Japan.

Suarez elected to bring on 21-year-old Daniel Chacon for the final minutes against Japan, but the more experienced Juan Pablo Vargas might be preferred from the off on Thursday.

Vargas should join an otherwise unchanged backline of Oscar Duarte and Kendall Watson, as Keylor Navas acts as the last line of the defence once again.

Right-wing back Keysher Fuller came up with the crucial winner against Japan and is nailed on to hold his spot here, and the same can be said for Bryan Oviedo on the opposite flank.

Celso Borges and Yeltsin Tejeda's spots in the midfield should not come under any threat, and nor should Joel Campbell's place out wide as the ex-Arsenal man prepares to win his 122nd cap for Los Ticos.

Eighteen-year-old Jewison Bennette and a man 19 years his senior in Bryan Ruiz could push to start in an ailing attack, but Gerson Torres and Anthony Contreras will likely hold their places from the off.

Costa Rica possible starting lineup: Navas; Fuller, Duarte, Vargas, Watson, Oviedo; Torres, Borges, Tejeda, Campbell; Contreras

> Click here to see how Germany could line up for this match

Written by
Ben Knapton