“Davinson Sánchez opens the scoring, an unlikely source as the defender gets forward to give Colombia the lead.”
Pivotal“Luis Díaz doubles Colombia's advantage just six minutes later, turning the match into a near-formality before the half-hour mark.”
Pivotal“Andrey Soto pulls one back for Costa Rica, briefly reducing the deficit and injecting some tension into the tie.”
“Colombia ring the changes at half-time, withdrawing several key men including James Rodríguez and introducing fresh legs — a move that momentarily disrupted the match's rhythm.”
“Luis Suárez, introduced at the break, wraps up the victory with a late goal to complete a 3-1 win and end any slim hope of a Costa Rican comeback.”
Pivotal
Colombia
Costa Rica
Outstanding performance
Colombia•MidfielderColombia were dominant from the outset, controlling 68% of possession and carving open Costa Rica with relative ease in the first half. Davinson Sánchez broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, an unusual contribution from the centre-back, before Luis Díaz doubled the advantage just six minutes later to put Los Cafeteros firmly in command. Costa Rica briefly threatened a response when Andrey Soto pulled one back in the 33rd minute, raising the prospect of a nervy second half, but Colombia's superiority in passes (508 to 232) and dangerous attacks (42 to 27) told its own story. A wave of half-time substitutions disrupted the flow of the game, yet Colombia remained composed and Luis Suárez — introduced at the break — settled any lingering tension with a late third goal in the 81st minute to make it 3-1 and put a flattering gloss on what was ultimately a controlled, professional performance in a pre-tournament friendly.
How entertaining was this match?
Colombia host Costa Rica at Estadio El Campín in a crucial World Cup warm-up friendly, looking to shake off back-to-back March defeats ahead of the 2026 tournament. With Los Cafeteros boasting a dominant head-to-head record and the home crowd behind them, this is a golden opportunity to restore confidence — but Costa Rica will be fighting to prove they belong on the same stage.
