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VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Wendy Acosta scored twice early in the second half to put Costa Rica on the verge of the semifinals at CONCACAF Olympic women's qualifying with a 2-0 victory over Haiti on Saturday.
The result gave the Ticas a second straight win and six points in Group A, with only a match against host Canada remaining on Monday.
"There are four teams: The U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica," Costa Rica coach Karla Aleman said. "Now we are here, we will fight for the ticket."
Haiti lost its second straight and was virtually eliminated with no points.
Acosta, who also scored one of Costa Rica's two goals in its 2-0 win over Cuba on Thursday, prevailed in a makeshift that had regulars Raquel Rodriguez and Saudy Rosales on the bench to start the match.
It was the second straight match that Haiti, which outscored opponents 13-1 in Caribbean qualifying, was held without a goal.
Costa Rica didn't get a shot on goal until the 29th minute when Adriana Venegas was thwarted from eight meters by Haiti goalkeeper Geralda Santilus, and then put the rebound wide. But the match, which was mired by a series of harsh tackles and fouls in midfield, swung the Ticas way after that.
Carolina Venegas had a header from inside the six-yard box inadvertently blocked by teammate Adriana Venegas in the 33rd and Daniela Cruz put a shot wide in the 35th.
Costa Rica finally went ahead in the 49th minute. Carolina Venegas played a ball ahead, Acosta took one touch at the top of the area to the inside to create space from maker Fiorda Charles and unleashed a left-footed drive from the edge of the penalty arc that curled just inside the post past a diving Saintilus.
Acosta was fortunate on the second. Katherine Alvarado's free kick from the left side was headed upward by Haitian defender Kencia Marseille, but Santilus was blocked from reaching the ball by Marseille and Sophia Batard, enabling Acosta to nod the ball into the goal from three meters.
"It was a tough game, but the help of my team -- that's the way I score -- especially, I think the first goal was
nice," Acosta said. "The second was kind of a scramble and I just fought for the ball."
Haiti was able to mount some offense late, with Batard and Samantha Brand both putting shots high in the 68th and 69th minutes, and Manoucheka Pierre Louis forcing Costa Rican keeper Julieth Arias into a reaction save in the 79th.
"They played a really great game today, unfortunately in the second half they were a little tired and they let it go a bit," Haiti coach Ronald Luxieux said. "The first goal really affected us and I felt the team really looked down after that and kind of lost their spirits."
