The CONCACAF Nations League returned to San José on matchday, and Costa Rica marked the occasion with a controlled 2-0 victory over Haiti at the Estadio Nacional. Two well-worked goals — one in each half — were enough to settle a contest that the hosts largely dictated, giving Los Ticos a valuable three points and keeping them firmly in the conversation at the top of their group.

Costa Rica 2-0 Haiti: Match Overview

Playing in front of a loud home crowd in the Costa Rican capital, Costa Rica set the tone early with patient possession and aggressive pressing high up the pitch. Haiti, as expected, sat deeper and looked to spring forward through their quick wide players, but the visitors struggled to hold the ball long enough to build sustained pressure.

• Final score: Costa Rica 2-0 Haiti
• Competition: CONCACAF Nations League
• Venue: Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José
• Goals: Manfred Ugalde, Alonso Martínez
• Shots on target: Costa Rica 6 – Haiti 2
• Possession: Costa Rica 61% – Haiti 39%

First Half: Ugalde Breaks the Deadlock

The opening twenty minutes followed a familiar pattern: Costa Rica circulating the ball from side to side, Haiti defending in a compact mid-block and looking for counterattacking opportunities. The breakthrough arrived from exactly the kind of move the home side had been building toward, with Álvaro Zamora finding space on the right and delivering a whipped cross towards the near post, where Manfred Ugalde arrived ahead of his marker to head home.

The goal settled Costa Rica and forced Haiti to push a little higher. That shift created brief openings for the visitors, and Keylor Navas was called into action twice before the interval — once smothering a low drive from the edge of the area and once claiming a dangerous cross under pressure. At the other end, Josimar Alcócer dragged a shot wide after a slick one-two on the left, and Costa Rica went into the break with a deserved but far from comfortable lead.

Second Half: Martínez Seals the Points

Haiti emerged from the dressing room with more ambition and enjoyed their best spell of the match shortly after the restart. A series of set pieces caused momentary panic in the Costa Rican box, and the visitors' number nine flicked a header narrowly over the bar from a well-flighted corner.

That pressure, however, was never converted into a goal, and Costa Rica punished the space left behind. In the 71st minute, a quick transition through midfield released Alonso Martínez, who took a touch to set himself and finished low across the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. It was a clinical piece of play from a forward who has become increasingly important to the national team's attacking plans.

From there, the hosts managed the game maturely. Substitutions refreshed the midfield, the tempo dropped, and Haiti's remaining attacks were met with disciplined defending rather than desperation.

Tactical Story: Control in Midfield and Wide Overloads

Costa Rica's advantage came from two clear tactical themes:

• Midfield control: A three-man central unit recycled possession efficiently, denying Haiti the transition moments they rely on.
• Wide overloads: Both goals originated from wide areas, with the fullbacks overlapping to create two-versus-one situations against Haiti's wing-backs.
• Rest defence: Costa Rica kept at least two players behind the ball at all times, which blunted Haiti's counterattacking threat.
• Set-piece resilience: After some early second-half jitters, the back line dealt comfortably with Haiti's aerial deliveries.

For Haiti, the night highlighted a recurring problem: plenty of energy and pace in wide areas, but too little sustained presence in the final third to convert territorial spells into goals. Their goalkeeper kept the scoreline respectable with a pair of strong second-half saves.

Standout Performers

• Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica): Opened the scoring with a sharp near-post header and led the press throughout.
• Alonso Martínez (Costa Rica): Took his goal with composure and linked play intelligently between the lines.
• Álvaro Zamora (Costa Rica): A constant outlet on the right; his delivery created the first goal.
• Keylor Navas (Costa Rica): Two important saves at 1-0 that kept Haiti from building momentum.
• Haiti's goalkeeper: Busy and brave, producing the saves that prevented a wider margin.

What It Means for the Group

The three points strengthen Costa Rica's position in the CONCACAF Na