Preview: Nicaragua vs Costa Rica - prediction, team news, lineups

The bottom two teams in Group A will seek their first points in the CONCACAF Nations League this season as Nicaragua host Costa Rica at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium in Managua on Thursday.

Over the weekend, the Nicaraguans were hammered 6-1 by Curacao, while Los Ticos suffered a 2-0 defeat in Haiti.

Match preview

From this Nations League to the last one, we have seen two very different Nicaragua teams show up.

In their first League A appearance in 2024-25, the Central Americans missed out on the quarter-finals on goal difference, while they have been a shadow of that side early on this time around.

Juan Cruz Real will seek his first win as their manager on Thursday, with the former Argentinian midfielder collecting just one positive result so far (0-0 draw versus South Africa).

His team have conceded a whopping 13 times in their last three internationals, while allowing multiple strikes in four consecutive outings in this competition.

Nicaragua have won two of their three League A encounters on home soil, with all three of their goals coming in the second half.

On Thursday, La Azul y Blanco can claim their first Nations League triumph against a Central American side, though they won their last meeting versus that region, 2-0 at home to Honduras last year.

The biggest surprise in League A so far may be how poorly Costa Rica have begun the competition this time around.

Like Nicaragua, a defeat on matchday three would eliminate them from the knockout phase of this competition, a first for the Costa Rican team.

It is up to Bryan Ruiz to get them back on track after Fernando Batista’s recent dismissal, with the third-highest cap holder for the national team overseeing their next two games before a permanent managerial successor is named.

Ruiz can win his first match in charge this week, which would end an eight-match winless run for the national team on the international stage and a five-game losing streak.

Since the last Nations League campaign, the Costa Ricans have gone unbeaten in their last five meetings against Central American opposition, conceding a goal or fewer in those last four instances.

Los Ticos are unbeaten in their last 16 games against Nicaragua, a streak that dates back to 1951, though they have never beaten them in their home country, drawing 1-1 at Estadio Nacional de Futbol last year.

Nicaragua CONCACAF Nations League Form:

Nicaragua Form (all competitions):

Costa Rica CONCACAF Nations League Form:

Costa Rica Form (all competitions):

Team News

From matchday one to two, we saw four new faces in the Nicaraguan starting 11, with Oscar Acevedo, Melvin Hernandez, Jacob Montes and Byron Bonilla all earning a place in the opening squad.

Jaime Moreno had their only strike against Curacao, as he remains second in all-time goals for the national team with 16.

On the Costa Rican side, Doryan Rodriguez collected just his second cap on matchday two, replacing Orlando Sinclair in the second half.

Abraham Madriz has started both Nations League affairs between the sticks, in place of Patrick Sequeira, with the former up to three caps for the senior squad.

Nicaragua possible starting lineup:

Vega; Gomez, Cano, Acevedo, Fletes, Hernandez; Zamora, Cole, Montes; Moreno, Bonilla

Costa Rica possible starting lineup:

Madriz; Barahona, Mitchell, Calvo, Araya; Galo, Soto, Mendez; Mora, Rodriguez, Alcocer

We say: Nicaragua 1-4 Costa Rica

While the Costa Ricans have been extremely poor this year, they can still find a way to get through a Nicaraguan defence that is incredibly unstable and likely in shock after the beating Curacao laid on them last time out.