MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (CMC) – A hat-trick from John Ruiz propelled Costa Rica into the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Under-17 Boys’ Championship, following a 3-2 victory over El Salvador. Ruiz struck either side of Geraldo Iraheta in the first half to put the Ticos ahead at halftime. But following an equaliser from Romel Mejia, Ruiz settled the issue with a strike in the last 15 minutes.
Both Central American sides were already assured of advancing, following Haiti’s withdrawal earlier in the week.
But the result meant that Costa Rica topped Group-A, and set-up a quarter-final with the second-place side in Group-B. El Salvador will play the Group-B winner.
Ruiz gave Costa Rica the lead three times, after both teams had early opportunities, with Costa Rica’s Kelin Angulo shooting just wide from 20 metres in the ninth minute.
Ivan Castro headed just over the crossbar, and Iraheta shot high and wide off a cross for El Salvador.
But Ruiz gave them the perfect example of how it is done, when he put Costa Rica in front in the 16th minute, when he stabbed home from the middle of the penalty area after shaking off a defender.
Iraheta equalised for El Salvador 16 minutes later, when he pounced on a rebound, after an 18-metre attempt from striker Jose Pena was palmed onto the post by Costa Rican goalkeeper Pedro Roman.
Ruiz restored Costa Rica’s lead, however, when he tucked away Gabriel Leiva’s free kick from the right two minutes into first-half injury time.
Early in the second half, El Salvador equalised, when Iraheta collected a rebound off a free kick, and crossed into the area, where Mejia settled the ball before volleying past Roman in the 47th minute.
Ruiz and Angulo hit the post twice as a dangerous omen of what El Salvador could expect, before Ruiz got into the penalty area and rounded goalkeeper Rolando Morales before finishing for the winner.