Summary Panama has six points on a 1-2-3 record and is fifth of the six teams.
SAN JOSE (AP) - Goals by Bryan Ruiz and Celso Borges put Costa Rica in a stronger position to qualify for next year's World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Panama on Tuesday night.
The Costa Ricans have 11 points from six matches with a 3-1-2 record. That trails only the United States (4-1-1), which beat Honduras earlier in the night.
Ruiz opened the scoring on a free kick in the 49th minute, and Borges clinched it just about two minutes later from long distance in a steady rain at National Stadium.
Panama has six points on a 1-2-3 record and is fifth of the six teams.
The top three finishers from the CONCACAF finals will qualify for Brazil 2014, with the fourth-place team entering a playoff against New Zealand.
