Costa Rica defeated Haiti 2-0 on Sunday at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, securing a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup playoff under interim head coach Bryan Ruiz. With the match played on Sunday at 6 p.m., the Caribbean squad fought for first place in Group A, while Costa Rica battled for third or fourth place to guarantee a berth in the Gold Cup repechage. The fixture arrived with the mission to maintain category in the Nations League and secure the ticket to the Gold Cup repechage, playing before a stadium that was practically full as the majority of tickets were sold.
Early Strikes From Carlos Mora and Andrey Soto Set the Tone in San José
The match began with high intensity as Costa Rica disrupted Haiti’s build-up play from the opening whistle, with Sebastián Acuña and Celso Borges applying pressure in the midfield. Just five minutes in, Ronald Matarrita delivered a precise cross into the penalty area, where forward Carlos Mora met the ball with a firm header to break the scoreless deadlock.
Bryan Ruiz Directs Tactical Discipline and Roster Overhaul
Taking over a squad reeling from early tournament losses—supported by the returns of historical players Keylor Navas and Celso Borges who helped straighten the path—Bryan Ruiz implemented changes to the team selection. On the pitch, tactical adjustments paid off as midfielders Sebastián Acuña and Celso Borges smothered Haitian attacks. When Haiti pushed forward in the second half and attempted to take hold of the ball with the introduction of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, a defensive line marshaled by Francisco Calvo held firm to preserve the clean sheet, while substitutions from the bench with Josimar Alcócer and Anthony Hernández restored control in the final minutes.
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Welcomes La Sele With a Warm Ovation
Atmospheric support inside Estadio Ricardo Saprissa—commonly known as La Cueva—marked a shift from the whistles and criticism that accompanied earlier rounds of the competition. The stadium announcer called out each starting player to applause, concluding with captain Keylor Navas who drew an ovation from the stands. But the loudest algarabía of the evening arrived when the stadium announcer introduced interim coach Bryan Ruiz with four words: Director técnico, Bryan Ruiz
, turning the stadium into a complete madness. The reception was very warm as he walked out wearing black attire and white sneakers, prompting fans to stand up—something not seen with recent managers—and start singing chants of Oeoeoeoé, ticos, ticos, oeoeoeoé, ticos, ticos
for the first time.
Standings Implications and the Path to March 2027
With the 2-0 victory, Costa Rica finished the first phase of the Nations League with six points. While the result leaves La Sele outside of the tournament’s quarterfinals, it guarantees their retention in League A of CONCACAF and secures a berth in the Gold Cup repechage scheduled for March 2027. The national team now awaits its opponent for the upcoming qualifying playoffs as it remains to be defined if Bryan Ruiz will continue at the front of the Selection, having returned victories and made Costa Rica believe once more.
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