Uruguay are set to begin their 2014 World Cup campaign this Saturday evening at 7 p.m. against Costa Rica, but will have to do so without their star striker Luis Suárez, who is recovering from surgery and deemed not fully fit for the match despite training with the squad.
Instead, Uruguay will rely on experience and firepower in the form of:
Diego Forlán, now 35 years old, still a trusted presence up front and the best player of the 2010 World Cup.
Edinson Cavani, the Paris Saint-Germain striker, expected to lead the attack and shoulder the scoring responsibility in Suárez’s absence.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica are returning to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2006, and will be looking to cause an upset with a youthful but determined team.
🔵 Uruguay Starting XI
(4-4-2 or 4-3-1-2 setup likely)
Muslera – Caceres, Lugano (captain), Godin, Pereira – Gargano, Arevalo, Rodriguez – Forlan – Cavani, Stuani
🔴 Costa Rica Starting XI
(5-4-1 or 3-5-2 formation possible)
Navas – Gamboa, Gonzalez, Umana, Duarte, Diaz – Tejeda, Borges, Bolanos, Ruiz (captain) – Campbell
With Suárez on the sidelines, all eyes will be on Cavani and Forlán to deliver for Uruguay. On the other side, Keylor Navas, Joel Campbell, and Bryan Ruiz form Costa Rica’s spine and will be key to their hopes of pulling off a surprise.
This match could set the tone for Group D, which also includes England and Italy — two other heavyweights.
