The Guatemalan Women’s National Team continues its preparation at the High Performance Center (CAR), under the direction of Mexican strategist Karla Maya, focused on the decisive duel against Costa Rica, a life or death match in the Concacaf W qualifying round. The Bicolor is obliged to win if it wants to keep alive the dream of qualifying for the Brazil 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The national team reaches the last day in second position in Group C, tied on points with Costa Rica. Both teams have nine points and have a perfect record after three games played. However, the goal difference favors the Ticos, who are coming off a historic 21-0 win against the Cayman Islands at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium.
Guatemala, for its part, has shown notable offensive power in the group stage, with victories of 4-1 against Bermuda, 6-0 against Grenada and 13-0 against the Cayman Islands. These results keep her in the direct fight for the ticket to the next phase.
Costa Rica wins 2-1 against Granada, 8-0 against Bermuda and 21-0 against Cayman Islandsmaking goal difference the only factor separating both teams before the April 18 duel at the National Stadium in San José.
No margin of error
The format of the tie is clear: only the first place in the group will advance to the Concacaf W Championship, where the United States and Canada are already waiting. This tournament will award tickets to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Given this panorama, the Bicolor is obliged to win. A draw or a loss would automatically eliminate them, regardless of the score. Aware of the magnitude of the commitment, the Guatemalan coaching staff has focused all its work on achieving the three points.
Aisha: “We are going with our hopes intact”
In the crucial week of preparation, the forward of the National Team, Aisha, expressed the group’s feelings and commitment to the goal set. “The truth is that the group is quite good, quite happy to be here, knowing the commitment we have and working for what is coming. “It is an important game for all of us and we are happy to be here,” she said.
The attacker recognized the difficulty of the rival, but assured that the team remains firmly convinced of seeking the result on Costa Rican territory. “Both teams are still alive and we are going to look for the result there. We have a good group for that. Costa Rica is a direct rival“We have always had to face each other, and I think it will be a nice game,” he added.
On a personal level, Aisha said she felt in a good soccer moment and was motivated to contribute to the national team. “I am recovering what I was doing, I am happy with my performance and I feel in a good moment. I just want to contribute that to the national team and do a good job.”.
The forward also highlighted the collective growth of the team under the current process. “We are still learning in each microcycle, but little by little the team is becoming more structured. We have good players, we are understanding each other very well and that was noticeable in the last games. We hope that this connection is also seen in this meeting”.
Finally, Aisha stressed the importance of the support of the Guatemalan fans. “Each one brings important experiences from abroad and that adds a lot to the group. We hope for people’s support, for them to be with us from afar. For us it is very important to feel the entire country united”.
— Concacaf W (@ConcacafW) April 11, 2026