SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Off the field, Jairo Arrieta seems like a relaxed type of person. On it, though, it's obvious that playing football is what he enjoys intensely.

The name "Arrieta" has become a synonym of the word "goal" for the Costa Rican national team. The forward from the northern Guanacaste province scored twice in the group phase of the current UNCAF Copa Centroamericana and has his sights set on the goal scoring title.

He leads all scorers with his two strikes, with only the final and the game for third place to play. Eighteen other players have one goal in the tournament, but only Arrieta has managed multiple strikes.

As far as his growing role in the national selection, Arrieta's ability to carry out the tactical orders of head coach Jorge Luis Pinto -- and the goals he brought with him from the USA's Major League Soccer (he plays for the Columbus Crew) -- seem to have the Colombian coach fully convinced.

"It's important that the goals have come," said Arrieta, who made his international debut against Cuba in 2011. "But without the help of my teammates I couldn't do it, and the trust the coach has placed in me is important.

"First, we want to obtain our group objective, which is to be champions. Then, I want to be the top scorer."

Modesty and hard work are constants in both the game and vocabulary of the former Saprissa star. Despite his goal scoring form, he will still need to fight for a spot in the team. The 29-year-old was replaced midway through the second half of the semifinal by Rodney Wallace, who went on to score the goal that put the Ticos into yet another UNCAF final.

"I'll continue to work, with plenty of humility," finished Arrieta. "I'm happy. These things have been hard for me to achieve."

Arrieta is certainly hoping that his next achievement comes on Sunday, when Costa Rica faces off against Honduras for Central American football supremacy.