After dumping head coach Rodrigo Kenton last week following their third straight loss in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, Costa Rica has turned to Rene Simoes, a man who’s coaching resume includes taking Jamaica to the World Cup in 1998 / Trinidad & Tobago / Brazil Women / Iran U-23′s / Jamaica in 2008 and s sprinkling of Brazilian clubs in between.

Via CONCACAF 

The Costa Rican federation announced the appointment Wednesday night, installing the 56-year-old Brazilian two days after dismissing Rodrigo Kenton following a third straight loss in World Cup qualifying. The latest loss, 1-0 to El Salvador on September 9, dropped Costa Rico to fourth in the final round of World Cup qualifying.

Three teams are guaranteed a berth in the World Cup finals in June in South Africa, while the fourth-placed team earns a two-game playoff against the fifth-placed South American team, currently Argentina, for the last spot in the 32-team field. Costa Rica has 12 points, four behind “hexagonal” leader the United States, one behind third-placed Honduras and four ahead of fifth-placed El Salvador.

“We will, with a lot of courage, do what we can so that Costa Rica has a strong group that can qualify to the World Cup,”  Simoes said in a statement released on the Costa Rican federation Web site.

Costa Rica next plays Trinidad & Tobago at home on October 10 before finishing against the United States in Washington four days later.

Image via Portalms