RAYYAN -- The Costa Rica national team sealed the final ticket for the 2022 World Cup Qatar after beating New Zealand in the Inter-Confederation Play-off qualifying match at Al Rayyan Stadium, Qatar, Wednesday (15/6/2022) early morning WIB. Costa Rica will complete the 32 countries that will appear in the 2022 World Cup finals which are planned to be held from November to December.

At the 2022 World Cup, Costa Rica occupies Group E, which is joined by Spain, Germany and Japan. This will be their third consecutive participation after reaching the quarter-finals in 2014 and then being eliminated in the group stage of the 2018 edition.

Costa Rica were able to score with just three minutes of play when Jewison Bennette's cross from the left flank was converted by Joel Campbell to make it 1-0.

New Zealand tried to equalize and put pressure on several occasions, including through striker Chris Wood, who scored in the 39th minute but was disallowed by the referee because VAR showed midfielder Matthew Garbett foul on Oscar Duarte.

After a period of pressure, Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez made three first-half substitutions, including the introduction of veteran captain Bryan Ruiz, but New Zealand continued to create more chances. New Zealand's hopes of an equalizer were heightened when substitute Kostas Barbarouses was shown a red card for a foul on Costa Rican defender Francisco Calvo in the 69th minute.

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas was able to make several crucial saves including from Clayton Lewis's long range effort, and then Wood's low shot in the last 10 minutes of the game and made the 1-0 win for Los Ticos to last until the final whistle.