The road to the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia got started for the National Men’s Football Team of Costa Rica, affectionately known as La Sele, last night with a nervous victory over the National Team of Haiti. For La Sele, this was not an easy match at all; the Caribbean team put up a formidable fight that could have easily resulted in a draw.

The match took place at the Chinese-built National Stadium in La Sabana Metropolitan Park. The weather was perfect for both teams, particularly since many of the Haitian players are signed to professional clubs in Belgium, France and other European leagues. It was nearly a sold-out crowd at the National Stadium, and the fans were very supportive, at least during the first half.

Managing coach Oscar Ramirez chose an interesting lineup for Costa Rica: Three strikers plus a forward, one midfielder supported by a fullback, and a four-player defensive back line. The only goal of the match arrived at the 29-minute mark, and it was an opportunity taken by Cristian Gamboa after an attack by Joel Campbell.

La Sele looked good in the first half, but nowhere near as solid as they did during the final international friendly match against the United States in New Jersey a few weeks ago. Veteran midfielder Celso Borges left the pitch due to an injury at the end of the second half, and veteran striker Alvaro Saborio was substituted earlier than expected.

The second half was ugly for La Sele and optimal for Haiti, a team that shined during the controversial Gold Cup. The island nation players tested the goalkeeping skills of Patrick Pemberton on a couple of occasions, and they were able to launch counterattacks with ease due to the lackluster marking by the midfield. Fans were not happy to see a very offensive lineup that lacked finesse; loud whistling and booing could be heard before desperate screams each time the Haitian National Team launched an attack.

In the end, Costa Rica crawled away with three points on the road to the next World Cup. The next match will be against the National Team of Panama.