Group B: Costa Rica, Haiti, Nicaragua, Bermuda - 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Topics: Costa Rica, Haiti, Nicaragua, Bermuda, CONCACAF Gold Cup

Who will progress from Group B? Live Soccer TV takes a look at hosts Costa Rica, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Bermuda.

Costa Rica, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Bermuda comprise Group B, and this could actually be one of the more balanced groups when it comes to securing a spot in the next round. Costa Rica are the favorites to progress, but it could be a very interesting battle between the other three sides for a possible runners-up spot.

Costa Rica

It seems like a lifetime ago that Los Ticos shocked the world with their impressive run at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as they made it all the way to the quarter-finals. This past summer, however, they failed to make any sort of mark as they crashed out at the group stage level after failing to win a single match.

That being said, Costa Rica, who are serving as co-hosts of the upcoming 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup along with the United States and Jamaica, have won three titles, but none since 1989. In 2017, they finished in third place, and overall, have a solid track record in this competition - as they haven't missed out on qualifing for a Gold Cup since 1996. This will be their 14th appearance at a Gold Cup and as they're the highest ranked side in their quartet (third in CONCACAF) they will be at least expected to get out of a group that includes a debutant and a team who have never gotten beyond the group stage.

Haiti

Haiti's best finish at this tournament so far has been reaching the quarter-finals twice (in 2002 and 2009). They did finish first in the CONCACAF Nations League Qualifiers, with star striker Druckens Nazon ending up as joint-top scorer with six goals during that process, and impressively were ahead of teams like Canada and Jamaica, the latter of which has done quite well at the most recent Gold Cups.

This will be Haiti's seventh appearance at the Gold Cup.

Nicaragua

The Central American country are featuring in the Gold Cup for the third time, and will hope this time around will be a charm as they aim to get out of their group. 2009 and 2017 saw Nicaragua make a swift exit, and La Azul y Blanco certainly will hope that their chances of progressing have been given a boost due to the overall fairness - on paper at least - of the quartet they have been placed in.

Bermuda

The island nation will be making their first ever appearance at a Gold Cup later this month. Nicknamed the Gombey Warriors, Bermunda are the rank underdogs at this tournament, but they certainly will be hoping to not make up the numbers, either. To date, Bermuda have never qualified for a World Cup or any other major competition but their fans will be hopeful the team can follow in the stead of other debutants and possibly cause some kind of upset.