Costa Rica tops Belize on Arrieta goal at 2013 UNCAF Copa Centroamericana

Costa Rica took the field for the third and last match on Friday at the National Stadium, ending the 2013 UNCAF Copa Centroamericana's launch day with a challenging 1-0 Group A triumph over a resolute Belize.

The result improved the Ticos' record in tournament openers to 10 wins and two draws in 12 games, including four victories against Belize.

Before the visiting defense had an opportunity to get its bearings, Costa Rica came close to netting within the first minute. Forward Jairo Arrieta nailed a right-footed shot off the post of Woodrow Wilson's goal.

As the half wore on and the Ticos continued to apply pressure, Belize looked increasingly dangerous on the counter and created some half chances.

The opening 45 minutes, however, ended without the breakthrough the home crowd had hoped for, but the locals wouldn't have to wait long to celebrate a goal.

Ten minutes into the second half, after a series of rebounds, Arrieta found the ball at his feet in the box and smashed an unstoppable drive past Wilson into the upper left corner for his first career Copa Centroamericana goal.

The host failed to find the net a second time, instead making its lone strike stand, to take three points and the lead atop Group A after one round of play.

Despite three of its last five Copa Centroamericana outings having been decided by one goal or less, Belize remains winless in 21 all-time tournament games.

Costa Rica will next take the field on Sunday to face Guatemala, while Belize takes on Nicaragua the same day.

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Belize aims to make football history

In terms of international football, the times finally seem to be changing in Belize.

The team is yet to win its first-ever match at the UNCAF Copa Centroamericana (Central American Cup), after eight appearances and 20 matches over the years at the tournament. But the Belizeans arrived in Costa Rica this year with some defined goals and look to have the on-the-field ability to end the run of winless matches.

Guided by Costa Rican head coach, LeRoy Sherrier, who led the country to its first point ever in this competition twelve years ago, Belize showed a number of alluring qualities in its 2013 tournament debut Friday night, falling by the minimum 1-0 difference to host Costa Rica.

"We've only been working three months ago, and we can get better," Sherrier told CONCACAF.com. "We want to improve on that performance from twelve years ago. I along with the board of directors believe that we can achieve fifth place.

"Our goal is to get to the Gold Cup."

Qualifying for CONCACAF's most important tournament would be a history making feat for the country of just over 300 thousand inhabitants, given that to date the team has just four ties to show for its Copa Centroamericana participation.

However, Belize does baost a record of some success under Sherrier's command. Twelve years ago, the Costa Rican led Belize in a memorable performance at the 2001 UNCAF championship, played in Honduras. It was in that tournament that the coastal Caribbean nation obtained its first-ever point in UNCAF play, tying eventual champion Guatemala, 3-3.

The coach explained that in the opener of this year's edition, his team suffered a bit from nervousness in front of the partial Costa Rican crowd. Sherrier, though, could understand, since returning to his native country at the helm of another national team has also been an emotional experience for the one-time Saprissa coach.

"I feel good, because it's been a while since I coached at this level," said Sherrier. "Coming to Costa Rica, to my country, where I was born, is satisfying because it's a great honor for me."

"It´s a great feeling, because when I started playing football it was on this very field. Coming here to coach a national team, against the local team in the first round, is something beyond description," he added.

In Friday night's match with the host, a standout performance by goalkeeper Woodrow West, combined with a resolute Belizean defense and a surprisingly quick and fluid counterattack, caused problems for the Ticos all night. Those same abilities now promise to be the source of trouble for Belize's remaining Group A opponents.

For that reason, even if Belize is in fact yet to win an UNCAF match, its Costa Rican coach is certain that his team won't return empty handed to Belize this time around.

"I think we could have done even better," Sherrier said of Friday night's result. "But we're happy with what happened, against the home team. Now we'll be out for more."

Belize faces Guatemala on Sunday at 2 PM local time, before closing its Group A participation on Tuesday against Nicaragua. All the games of the 2013 UNCAF Copa Centroamericana are to be played at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose

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