Duro Ikhazuagbe
Former Arsenal player, Joel Campbell, earned Costa Rica the last slot of the 32- team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to hold between November and December in Qatar.
It took the former Gunner just three minutes into the game at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Doha to get the job done for the Latin Americans and cause massive celebrations in its capital San Jose last night.
Campbell drilled a low shot into the bottom corner of New Zealand’s goal with goalkeeper Oliver Sail dumbfounded.
Although the New Zealanders had 64-36 ball possession for most part of the first half, they failed in the bid to cancel the goal and bid for a third appearance at the Mundial after their previous outings in 1982 and 2010.
They however ended the second half with 10 men following the sending off of Kosta Barbarouses barely 10 minutes after he was introduced for his career ending fouling of Francisco Calvo.
PSG’s goalkeeper, Keylor Navas proved efficient for Costa Rica as the 35-year -old shot stopper organised his defence well and helped the team with his commanding presence.
Costa Rica who are to play in Group E of Qatar 2022 along with Germany, Japan and Spain. They are to open their campaign with the 2010 winners Spain on November 21.
Ranked 31st in the world, Luis Fernando Suarez’s side who are going to play in their sixth mundial, have advanced beyond the group phase in three of the past five tournaments.
Their best performance came in 2014 when they reached the quarter-finals, finishing top of a group that included Uruguay, Italy and England, before beating Greece on penalties in the last 16 and losing in a shootout to the Netherlands.
ALL THE 32 TEAMS FOR QATAR 2022
| A – Qatar | Ecuador | Senegal | Netherlands |
| B – England | Iran | USA | Wales |
| C – Argentina | Saudi Arabia | Mexico | Poland |
| D – France | Australia | Denmark | Tunisia |
| E – Spain | Costa Rica | Germany | Japan |
| F – Belgium | Canada | Morocco | Croatia |
| G – Brazil | Serbia | Switzerland | Cameroon |
| H – Portugal | Ghana | Uruguay | South Kore |
