With Group D looking like perhaps the second toughest group in this first round of the 2014 World Cup, any of the clubs within the group expecting to advance can ill afford to lose any of these round one matches. If Uruguay is to have a chance at all against Group D's other two powerhouses, they will almost certainly need to win in their tournament opener against Costa Rica. And that is shaping up to be no easy task.

The game starts on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Those looking to watch the game online can do so here on ESPN 3, and the game will also be televised on ABC.

According to SBNation, Uruguay was one of the darlings of 2010's World Cup, largely due to the star power of Diego Forlan and Diego Lugano. Those two are now four years older and unable to carry the load like they did in South Africa. Forlan has been reduced to a mere locker room presence in a backup role for this tournament. And with Uruguay's wingbacks lacking their former speed, they'll most likely be forced to shift to two strikers and a back four, which could present some serious difficulties when they face Costa Rica on Saturday.

Team News

Luis Suarez' injury poses the largest challenge to Uruguay's bid to advance beyond this round. Suarez' left meniscus was operated on last month, and his presence on the field for the tournament still remains in doubt despite his efforts to recover in time to help his team.

Costa Rica, on the other hand, has also had their share of line-up troubles with defenders Michael Umana and Junior Diaz being under the weather recently, yet both are planning to play, barring something unforeseen. Exactly which formation the Ticos will go with this tournament still remains a bit of a mystery, yet, according to SBNation, look for them to utilize three central defenders with Joel Campbell as striker.

Matchups to Watch

Cavani vs. Borges - The game could very well hinge on the crucial matchup between these two. Borges has a lot of responsibility in terms of the decisions he will have to make as the team's more aggressive midfielder. He will be leading the Costa Rica counter, but Cavani will look to take advantage if Borges should somehow find himself out of position. It is going to be up to Borges to prevent Cavani from getting loose with the ball deep in the pitch and causing problems for the Ticos.

Campbell vs. Lugano - A contrast here between a bright rising talent (Campbell) and a fading star (Lugano). Should Uruguay be forced to start the aging Lugano, it could spell danger for their chances, as Campbell will be poised to capitalize on any Uruguay weakness.