Costa Rica relishes underdog role

SAO PAULO (AP) - Only eight countries have ever won the World Cup, and in Brazil three of them face Group D underdog Costa Rica.

Coach Jorge Luis Pinto greeted them with a warning: "We respect England, Italy, and Uruguay. But they should know that we can play football too."

In today's opener in Fortaleza, Pinto's men take on a Uruguay side which has high hopes of improving on its run to the semifinals in 2010, despite the uncertainty hanging over striker Luis Suarez following knee surgery three weeks ago.

Key to Costa Rica's success as a Central American spoiler, said the coach, is the notion the pressure will be on all three of their opponents to win.

"We will play without fear. We face three world champions and we can take them all on," Pinto said. "What we feel is joy and motivation."

Pinto's plans could be rattled today if he loses central defenders Michael Umana and Junior Diaz, who are recovering from the flu.

The Ticos are expected to rely on in-form goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who plays for Spanish club Levante, and 28-year-old captain Bryan Ruiz, whose season was revived in the Netherlands after doomed Premier League club Fulham loaned him out to PSV Eindhoven before being relegated.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez is still unsure whether Suarez will play in the opener, despite the striker joining in regular training for the first time since the operation.

The Uruguayans would start with forwards Edinson Cavani and veteran Diego Forlan if Suarez hadn't fully recovered.

"We are increasing (Suarez's) pace of recovery and up until now there have been no glitches," Tabarez said Friday.

"We still have one day to go. We don't want to jump the gun. We have prepared not to have him, but it would be wonderful to have him. We have to be very careful."