Panama and Costa Rica will be looking for an early lead in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup when they meet on Monday. Costa Rica has won three Concacaf titles, while Panama has made it to the final twice but failed to win it. Now they face a crucial match to open their Gold Cup campaigns. They are the highest ranked teams in a group that includes El Salvador and Martinique, so the result will play a big part in determining who goes through. The last meeting between the teams took place in March and Panama won that 2023 Concacaf Nations League game 1-0. They then lost 2–0 to Canada in the semifinals, and Mexico defeated them 1–0 in the third on June 18. Costa Rica has since lost friendlies with Guatemala and Ecuador.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Caesars Sportsbook lists Panama as +129 favorites (risk $100 to win $129), with Costa Rica +245 underdogs, in its last Costa Rica vs. Panama opportunities. A draw is +185, and the over/under for total goals scored is set at 1.5, with the Over juiced at -180. Before you start a Costa Rica vs. Panama pick or 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Predictions capture you must see what proven football insider Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sportswriter and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since last year’s World Cup, Green has been profitable in multiple areas of his football picks, including the Champions League (+4.78 units), the FA Cup (+3.07), the EFL Cup (+3.64), Euro 2024 qualifiers (+3.01) and the Europa League (+1.60).
Now Green has broken down Costa Rica vs Panama from every angle and just revealed its picks and Gold Cup predictions. You can go to SportsLine to see Green’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Panama vs. Costa Rica:
- Distribution Costa Rica vs Panama: Panama -0.5 (+120)
- Costa Rica vs. Panama over/under: 1.5 goals (over -180, under +135)
- Money Line Costa Rica vs. Panama: Costa Rica +245, Panama +129, Draw +185
- Costa Rica: They have two clean sheets in their last 10 games.
- Panama: They have scored in eight of their last eleven games.
- Choices Costa Rica vs Panama: See choices on SportsLine
Why you should support Panama
Los Caneleros are 31-12-16 all-time against Costa Rica and have lost just once in their past seven encounters (5-1-1). The only loss was in 2022 World Cup qualification, when Los Ticos secured a 1-0 win. But that game was at the National Stadium of Costa Rica and Panama had a 16-9 lead on shots and had 64% possession. The previous meeting ended 0-0, but Panama outwitted the visitors 18-4 and did not allow an attempt on goal. Los Ticos have since lost several notable contributors.
Costa Rica’s golden generation is on its last legs and they enter with a 1-0-3 run. The only victory was a 2-1 triumph against Concacaf minnow Martinque, who had a 1-0 lead until the 88th minute. Panama’s roster includes 11 players with at least 30 caps, and four are over 100, including Alberto Quintero and MLS veteran Anibal Godoy. Cecilio Waterman is the top scorer with eight goals in 25 games and Quintero has seven. Jose Fajardo scored the winner in the March meeting for his fifth. See which way to go back at SportsLine.
Why you should support Costa Rica
Los Ticos have lost a number of players since Qatar, but they still have some key veterans. They include iconic goalkeeper Keylor Navasmidfielder Cello Borges and defender Oscar Duarte. Attacker Joel Campbell, 30, also belongs to that group and the 30-year-old has 25 goals in 122 games. Borges has 27 goals in 158 games, the most appearances in team history. A two-time Concacaf Player of the Year, Navas has 32 clean sheets in 79 competitive games and played a total of 110 matches.
Costa Rica is known for their physical play and stifling defense, and Panama has no real scoring threat. Panama have won only two of their last 10 games (2-4-4), and while one of them was against Los Ticos, Costa Rica controlled the ball 58% of the game. Costa Rica know they are still able to be competitive with top teams, and they managed a 1-0 win against a strong Japan side in November. They led Germany with 20 minutes remaining in the ensuing game before losing 4–2. See which way to go back at SportsLine.
How to Make Choices for Costa Rica vs Panama
Green broke down the match between Costa Rica and Panama from every angle and landed some of the best bets for this group stage match of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. He only shares those choices here.
Who will win Panama vs. Costa Rica in Monday’s Concacaf Gold Cup group stage match, and where is all the stake value? Visit SportsLine now to see the best Costa Rica vs Panama betsall from the football expert who has been profitable in multiple areas.