Costa Rica v Colombia: Bacca hoping to finish season on a high

Colombia striker Carlos Bacca is on the hunt for more silverware as the Copa America draws closer.

The 44th edition of the Copa America kicks off in Chile next week and Colombia are in action beforehand, with an international friendly against Costa Rica scheduled on Saturday.

Colombia – pooled in Group C alongside Brazil, Peru and Venezuela for South America’s showpiece event – travel to Buenos Aires over the weekend as coach Jose Pekerman runs the rule over his team for the first time since announcing his squad.

One player set to feature is Bacca, who helped Sevilla to back-to-back UEFA Europa League titles last month.

Bacca scored twice in the Europa League final and the 28-year-old has now set his sights on international glory in Chile, where 2001 champions Colombia kick-off their campaign against Venezuela on June 14.

“The season finished very well, achieving our objectives at Sevilla in a very good campaign,” Bacca told Copa America’s official website.

“The club’s achievements make me more eager to do great things with Colombia.

“I do not know if it’s my best moment, but I feel very good physically and mentally.

“I am looking forward to contributing to this team and I am only thinking about the Copa America and nothing else.”

Colombia have won six matches on the bounce since suffering back-to-back defeats to Brazil, who eliminated their South American rivals in the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup before prevailing in a friendly two months later.

Costa Rica – gearing up for July’s CONCACAF Gold Cup – have a full squad to choose from, with coach Bryan Ruiz, Keylor Navas, Alvaro Saborio, Joel Campbell, Celso Borges, Junior Diaz, Michael Umana, Roy Miller and Cristian Gamboa all included by Paulo Wanchope.

Debutant goalkeeper Danny Carvajal is also in the squad, while midfielder Marvin Angulo could make his first international appearance since 2008.

Costa Rica have played twice in the New Year and have failed to win both times, drawing with Paraguay and losing to Panama in April.