Even with a new manager at the helm and captain Bryan Ruiz absent, Costa Rica enter Concacaf Nations League play as the prohibitive favorites to take League A, Group D and advance to the next round in 2020.

Easier said than done.

The Ticos have the quality to dispatch the majority of opponents they’ll face throughout Concacaf play and should feel they belong in the knockout stage of every competition. Nevertheless, their two opponents set up a group that looked to be a slugfest from the outset, and that’s exactly what has played out up to this point as Curaçao lead with four points, Haiti are behind with two, and Costa Rica round it out with one point.

You could flip a coin going in to determine which surprise team from the Gold Cup might have the best shot at securing another birth into the knockout round of a regional tournament. It was Curaçao who managed to slide into pole position after Matchdays 1 and 2 with a 1-0 win and 1-1 draw in hand, leaving Haiti with the pressure of needing to secure a result against the favorites in their next fixture to keep their hopes alive and well.

Furthermore, Haiti had to deal with their date with Costa Rica being moved from their home venue to Nassau, Bahamas, due to ongoing political issues, but that didn’t stop them from producing an impressive overall performance and rallying to snatch a 1-1 draw in a thrilling match at Thomas Robinson Stadium. The “home” side held the edge in virtually every offensive category — possession, shots, efforts on target, passes completed — and a collection of pivotal stops by the Ticos’ Keylor Navas were all that kept Haiti from joining Curaçao at the top with four points.

The 32-year-old has been in fine form since joining French giants PSG from Real Madrid, and his keen positioning and reactions were once again on display in keeping the score knotted at 0-0 heading into the intermission.

¡Qué atajada de Keylor Navas! @fhfhaiti estuvo cerca de abrir el marcador en dos ocasiones, pero el portero de @fedefutbolcrc logra mantener el cero | #FollowTheDream #CNL pic.twitter.com/KINP6iUAtb

— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) October 11, 2019

A towering header by Costa Rica’s Guillermo Ortiz opened the scoring less than 10 minutes into the second half, but Haiti kept plugging away in the hopes of finally getting one past Navas.

¡Gran atajada de Navas! El arquero está teniendo un gran partido manteniendo el arco de los Ticos en cero | #FollowTheDream #CNL @fedefutbolcrc pic.twitter.com/0vPzdW7vi5

— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) October 11, 2019

Their diligence ultimately paid off with eight minutes left in regulation when Frantzdy Pierrot got on the scoresheet for the second time in as many games thanks to a delicious cross from Herve Bazile. Pierrot found himself in the smallest of spaces at the top of the six-yard box and rose to meet it unchallenged. Navas could only watch in disgust as his towering header glided into the side netting.

Goal @fhfhaiti ??! Frantzdy Pierrot ties the game with a header at 82'! | #FollowTheDream #CNL pic.twitter.com/q0Iw9ygfcH

— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) October 11, 2019

In addition to their performances at the Gold Cup, Pierrot’s words offer additional evidence of his team’s fearless mentality and confidence they can go toe to toe with top sides in the region 

“We’re still not satisfied because we felt like it was a game we should have won, but we gave everything that we got,” the striker said after the game.

Fresh off signing for Bulgarian outfit Tsarsko Selo Sofia for his first club action in more than a year, Haiti shot-stopper Johny Placide had to come up with a stunning save of his own in the dying minutes to preserve the point. With the teams sharing the spoils on the night, League A’s most exciting group is remains locked in a tight affair with Curaçao set to return to the fold when they travel to Costa Rica on Sunday.

Revive las grandes atajadas de @NavasKeylor en el partido que terminó empatado a uno entre @fhfhaiti y @fedefutbolcrc | #FollowTheDream #CNL pic.twitter.com/f5i7HCOF7M

— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) October 11, 2019