In the international friendly between Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica on 8th September 2023, Costa Rica emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. The match was characterised by a number of statistical factors that had a significant impact on the outcome.

To begin with, Costa Rica got off to a quick start by scoring their first goal at the 11:20 mark of the first half. They extended their lead to 2-0 by netting another goal at 31:58 in the first half. These early goals gave Costa Rica an advantage, as they were able to establish dominance in the game from an early stage.

Saudi Arabia, however, didn't go down without a fight. They managed to pull one back in the second half at 67:28, making the scoreline 2-1. However, Costa Rica further solidified their lead by scoring a third goal at 88:39, which proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the home side.

Taking a closer look at other statistical elements of the game, the dominance of Costa Rica is further underlined. While the home side took more corner kicks (7), double compared to away team (2), this advantage didn't translate into goals. This indicates that despite attacking pressure and threatening situations, Saudi Arabia were unable to convert these into scoring opportunities. Additionally, Saudi Arabia committed more offsides (3) than Costa Rica (1), suggesting a potentially aggressive, but ultimately unsuccessful attacking strategy.

However, it's worth noting that Costa Rica received more disciplinary actions, with two yellow cards, compared to the home team's single caution. This suggests an aggressive defensive strategy that, while effective in this match, could prove costly in future fixtures.

In terms of substitutions, this statistical factor wasn't provided for this report but it's a crucial factor that impacts the game's dynamics. Equally, data on shots on target, goalkeeper saves, shots off target, and fouls committed by each team were also not available. These figures could further enhance the understanding of each team's performance.

All in all, the balance of play, coupled with the effective utilization of scoring opportunities, contributed to a deserved Costa Rica victory. In the aftermath of this game, Saudi Arabia will need to reflect on their strategy, particularly their use and conversion of corner kicks and offside rule, to avoid similar outcomes in future matches.

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