Red-hot Spain will look to stay on a major roll when they take on Costa Rica in a 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C opening matchup on Friday in Wellington, New Zealand. Since September, Spain have won 12 of 14 matches, with one draw. The lone loss was a 3-2 decision to host Australia at the 2023 Cup of Nations Tournament in February. Costa Rica, meanwhile, are 2-11-3 since last July, including 1-6-2 since the start of the year.
The match from Wellington Regional Stadium kicks off at 3:30 a.m. ET. Spain are the -12500 favorites (risk $12,500 to win $100) in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Spain vs. Costa Rica odds, with Costa Rica at +5000. A draw is priced at +2000, and the over/under for total goals scored is 4.5. Before locking in any Costa Rica vs. Spain picks, you need to see what SportsLine's Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since last year's World Cup, Green has been profitable in multiple areas on his soccer 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). Anyone who follows him is way up.
Now, Green has taken a close look at the Spain vs. Costa Rica match and locked in his Women's World Cup predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Costa Rica vs. Spain:
- Spain vs. Costa Rica spread: Spain -4.5 (-110), Costa Rica +4.5 (-120)
- Spain vs. Costa Rica over/under: 4.5 goals
- Spain vs. Costa Rica money line: Spain -12,500, Costa Rica +5000, Draw +2000
- ESP: Best finish at a World Cup was 12th in 2019
- CRC: Have qualified for just the second time at the World Cup
- Spain vs. Costa Rica picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Spain
Forward Esther Gonzalez hasn't been shy on offense. She is among the team leaders in scoring with 25 goals in 37 appearances for the Spaniards. The 30-year-old, who plays for Real Madrid, has scored 30 goals in 54 appearances since 2021. Prior to her time with Real Madrid, she played from 2019 to 2021 for Levante of Liga F. In 44 matches for Levante, she found the net 22 times.
Another solid force for the Spain offense is forward Mariona Caldentey. The 27-year-old, who plays professionally for Barcelona, has 19 goals in 55 appearances for Spain. Since February 2021, she has scored 12 times, including eight goals in 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying. She is in her 10th season with Barcelona and has 44 goals in 103 career matches for them. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Costa Rica
Helping boost the Costa Rica offense is Portland Thorns midfielder Raquel Rodriguez. The 29-year-old has played with the Thorns since 2020, scoring four goals in 40 appearances. For the Costa Rican national team, Rodriguez has scored 55 times in 100 matches since 2008. She had a goal against Poland in a 2-1 loss in a friendly this past April.
Another standout performer for Costa Rica is midfielder Katherine Alvarado. The 32-year-old has appeared in 125 international matches, scoring 21 times. Since 2020, Alvarado has played professionally for Deportivo Saprissa. She had spent time with Espanyol Femeni from 2018 to 2020, scoring one goal in 40 appearances. See which team to pick here.
How to make Costa Rica vs. Spain Women's World Cup picks
Green has broken down the 2023 Women's World Cup match from every angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total, and has locked in his most confident pick for Spain vs. Costa Rica. He's only sharing his 2023 Women's World Cup picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Costa Rica vs. Spain on Friday, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bet for Spain vs. Costa Rica, all from the expert who has been profitable since last year's World Cup, and find out.
