Uruguay is being considered many as one of the top contenders in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and they will have a chance to show why as they collide with Costa Rica on Saturday at the Estadio Castelao stadium in Fortaleza, Brazil.

After a fourth-place finish in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Uruguay are considered the favorites heading into their showdown on Saturday, while Costa Rica have never won against Uruguay in 10 matches.

In those matches, Uruguay has notched seven wins and three draws against Costa Rica.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez is not taking Costa Rica lightly, though, saying that their opponent could pull off surprises in the match that will have a great effect on how Group D will shape up. England and Italy, two former World Cup champions, were also drawn into Group D.

"We believe that Costa Rica is a very tough opponent and the match can be crucial. Nothing will be lost in the first match, but winning points would be very important and not getting them can make things difficult. It will not be easy," Tabarez said via Yahoo! Sports UK.

Uruguay star striker Luis Suarez, who recently underwent left knee surgery, remains doubtful for the match.

Suarez, who scored 11 goals for Uruguay in the South American World Cup qualifiers, was omitted from the starting XI, but could make an appearance later in the game.

Tabarez played down speculations suggesting that Suarez might miss the entire World Cup, insisting that the Liverpool star is recovering well, but the team is taking a cautious approach.

"Thursday afternoon he did the most important thing you can do in training -- he played a match, and he played without any problems," Tabarez said. "But obviously that's not as demanding as a competitive match. We've done all the preparations for this game without Luis."

On the other hand, Costa Rico manager Jorge Luis Pinto knows that many are already counting them out as they are facing powerhouse squads in their group.

But while they are considered the least talented squad in Group D, Pinto vowed that his team will play without fear against their heavily-favored opponents.

"We respect England, Italy, and Uruguay. But they should know that we can play football too, we will play without fear. We face three world champions and we can take them all on. What we feel is joy and motivation," Pinto said.

Date, Time, Schedule, How to Watch

The Uruguay-Costa Rico match will start at 3 a.m. EST. Fans can watch the action on ABC and via WatchESPN.

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