Central America Round-Up

With several clubs preparing for the beginning of the CONCACAF Champions League group phase, the weekend put tough decisions in front club managers with hopes of advancing from their group as they balanced league play with resting players for the midweek fixtures.

Costa Rica

The Primera Division’s fourth round was a bit quixotic as all six Group A clubs suffered defeats at the hands of teams from Group B. Among the leading storylines from the fixtures was the number of send-offs that played a factor in the results. Nine players, in total, were dismissed from the pitch in six matches.

8/14 - Santos de Guapiles 2-0 Deportivo Saprissa
Saprissa’s struggles continued as they fell to a side that came into the match with one win and three goals in three matches. Perhaps an omen for Saprissa, the lights went out seven minutes in and after a 15-minute delay, the game resumed and luck fell in favor of the home side in the 24th minute as the pinballed around the Saprissa defense before landing at the feet of Johnny Cubero for the opener. The match closed with Daniel Colindres netting in the first minute of stoppage time. Scoring – SG: Johnny Cubero 24; SG: Daniel Colindres 91+

8/14 - Alajuelense 2-1 Barrio Mexico
In a battle of the league’s top sides, perennial power Alajuelense had the initial momentum against the unbeaten visitors. Jheirel Downs of Barrio Mexico was sent off after 22 minutes and three minutes later Marco Urena struck a hard shot to give Alajuelense the lead. The short-handed visitors answered right back within four minutes as William Phillips beat a defender before firing a powerful shot that slammed off the underside of the crossbar and in. Leandro collected a great pass from Christopher Meneses to post the winner with 20 minutes remaining. Scoring – ALA: Marco Urena 25; BM: William Phillips 29; ALA: Leandro 71

8/15 – Universidad de Costa Rica 3-0 Cartagines
A rain-soaked pitch did little to stop Minor Diaz from posting a hat-trick on the night. The match was still in doubt when the second half began, but slanted in the hosts favor within a minute as Diaz softly touched the ball past the keeper. The match turned decidedly in favor of UCR in the 63rd when Diaz beat the keeper before firing a shot that was stopped by the hand of Jose Villalobos, who was sent off. Diaz converted from the spot and just a few minutes later the hosts were also up two players when Esteban Granados received a second yellow. Diaz finished the hat-trick in the 74th when he put away a ball that came off the shoulder of Cartagines’ Joshua Chambers. Scoring – UCR: Minor Diaz 46; UCR: Minor Diaz (penalty) 65; UCR: Minor Diaz 74

8/15 – Limon 1-2 Herediano
The visitors found themselves in a hole in the first half when Bryan Orue was sent off in the 27th minute for a hard foul in the box. A Jose Carlos Cancela free kick, however, gave Herediano the lead when Victor Nunez put it in off his knee in the first minute of stoppage time. Delberth Cameron leveled for Limon on a beautiful strike in the 74th but five minutes later Esteban Ramirez struck the winner from long range. Scoring – HER: Victor Nunez 45; LIM: Delberth Cameron 74; HER: Esteban Ramirez 79

8/15 – San Carlos 2-1 Puntarenas
The hosts opened the scoring just a minute into the contest, but found themselves level at halftime following Mario Viquez’s penalty in the 23rd following a controversial Daniel Alvarado handball at the edge of the box. A free kick by Gustavo Perez just after the hour mark found its way through a hole in the wall for the winner. Scoring – SC: Felix Montoya 1; PUN: Mario Viquez (penalty) 23; SC: Gustavo Perez 61

8/16 – Perez Zeledon 0-2 Brujas
Delayed a day due to a water-logged pitch, the visitors jumped to an early lead courtesy of Jorge Arias, who later left the game and was taken to the hospital following a hard hit to the head in a collision with Rodrigo Solomon. Solomon later fouled Heiner Mora in the box leading to a Pablo Brenes penalty in the 75th. Scoring – BRU: Jorge Arias 7; BRU: Pablo Brenes (penalty) 75

El Salvador

8/14 – Vista Hermosa 1-0 UES
Vista Hermos captured their first victory of the year courtesy of an early goal from Arsenio Rodriguez 21 minutes into the affair against Universidad de El Salvador, which has allowed six goals in three outings. Scoring – VH: Arsenio Rodriguez 21

8/14 – Isidro Metapan 4-3 Atletico Marte
In a back-and-forth thriller, the Champions League side Isidro Metapan found themselves trailing twice in the match on goals from Alcides Bandera. But goals from four different players kept the club tied atop the league as Josue Odir Flores put the hosts ahead and Hector Mejia hit what proved to be the winner with three minutes remaining. Scoring – AM: Alcides Bandera 7; IM: Emerson Umana 12; AM: Alcides Bandera 19; IM: Paolo Suarez 28; IM: Josue Odir Flores 68; IM: Hector Mejia 87; AM: Julio Maya 91+

8/15 – Alianza 4-0 FAS
Champions League side FAS continues to struggle, falling in a battle of winless sides in one-sided affair. The hosts were the benefactors of four different goal scorers, running away with the win with three goals in the final half-hour. Scoring – ALI: Jose Oliveira 9; ALI: J Alvarado 63; ALI: Rodolfo Zelaya 83; ALI: H Sosa 90

8/15 – Once Municipal 1-1 Atletico Balboa
The visitors found themselves a man short when Rene Ramos was sent off in the 40th, but held on for the break. Two minutes into the second half, however, Mario Deras gave Once Municpal the lead. Terms were leveled when Andres Aguirre was sent off and Juan Campos converted the subsequent penalty in the 58th minute. Scoring – OM: Mario Deras 47; AB: Juan Campos 58

8/15 – Firpo 1-2 Aguila
In a contest of two unbeatens in the third week of action, the road side rallied for the victory. Fernando Leguizamon opened the scoring when he poked the ball past the keeper in the 31st minute for Firpo. A minute later the visitors tied the match when a diagonal ball found Rudis Corrales, who fired a shot into the right corner. Patricio Barroche was sent off for Aguila in the 41st minute, but the visitors came out from the break and found the winner short-handed just two minutes into the second courtesy of Corrales. Scoring – FIR: Fernando Leguizamon 31; AGU: Rudis Corrales 32; AGU: Rudis Corrales 47

Guatemala

8/14 – Marquense 1-0 Mictlan
A mud-laden pitch proved the main element of the match, but Marquense found the deciding goal 17 minutes in when Jonny Brown beat the defense and put the ball in the bottom right of the goal, moving the club atop the table. Scoring – MAR: Jonny Brown 17

8/15 – Juventud Retalteca 1-2 Xinabajul
Despite players being in limbo due to late salary paments, Xinabajul came from behind after a second minute score from Jean Cedeno to register their second consecutive win in league play after opening with two defeats. Coming off the bench, Cesar Alegria netted just before the break and again in the 72nd to lead the club to the surprise win against the unbeaten side. Scoring – JR: Jean Cedeno 2; XIN: Cesar Alegria 44; XIN: Cesar Alegria 72

8/15 – Municipal 3-1 Suchitepequez
Municipal took advantage of an early error when Henry Medina inadvertently snet a cross into his own net. Two minutes into stoppage time Cristian Noriega doubled the lead for the hosts. Roberto Porras made it a close affair in the 61st, heading home a cross from Freddy Garcia, but a second yellow to Wilfred Velasquez damaged the chances of an equalizer. Mario Rodriguez would close out the scoring six minutes from time. Scoring – MUN: Own goal (Henry Medina) 25; MUN: Cristian Noriega 45; SUC: Roberto Porras 61; MUN: Mario Rodriguez 84

8/15 – Malacateco 1-0 Xelaju
A hard-fought match was decided by the lone goal of Jorge Ivan Pailos six minutes before the intermission, but ended in ugly fashion as rocks were thrown into the ground from outside of the stadium at the close of regulation. Scoring – MAL: Jorge Pailos 39

8/15 – Penarol La Mesilla 2-3 Comunicaciones
Iverton Paes opened the scoring for the unbeaten visitors with a header 33 minutes into the contest. Another header from Fonseca Montepeque doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half. Moctezuma Serrato found the back of the net off his head as well to put the home side back into the fixture only to see Montepeque strike against in the 75th. A late Serrato penalty was not enough as it came three minutes into stoppage time. Scoring – COM: Iverton Paes 33; COM: Fonseca Montepeque 47; PM: Moctezuma Serrato 58; COM: Fonseca Montepeque 75; PM: Moctezuma Serrato (penalty) 93+

8/15 – Heredia 2-1 Universidad San Carlos
Universidad San Carlos appeared to be on the verge of evening their record with a second win courtesy of Andy Herron’s first half strike, but then came stoppage time. Wilmer Mena beat the visitors two minutes into added-on time to level terms and the misfortune struck again two minutes later as Ruben Lopez put it in his own goal, leaving them without any points. Scoring – USC: Andy Herron 42; HER: Wilmer Mena 92+; HER: Own goal (Ruben Lopez) 94+

Honduras

8/14 – Victoria 1-1 Olimpia
Olimpia trailed until eight minutes remained in the contest after Victor Arzu put away a Charlie Moran cross in the 37th minute. With half of their starters in reserve for the Champions League fixture in Puerto Rico, Olimpia found a draw via Carlinhos Dias, who put the ball high into the goal. Scoring – VIC: Victor Arzu 37; OLI: Carlinhos Dias 82

8/15 – Platense 2-2 Marathon
A deadlock was broken just before the hour mark when Orvin Paz put his shot just over the line after hitting the hand of David Meza, who would answer back with a fantastic goal of his own 10 minutes later. Another 10 minutes transpired before the visitors reclaimed the lead when Hector Amarilla sent a shot off the post. Sandro Carcamo spoiled the victory in the 89th with the equalizer in a game that was marred by a shooting in the stands during the match. Scoring – MAR: Orvin Paz 59; PLA: David Meza 69; MAR: Hector Amarilla 79; PLA: Sandro Carcamo 89

8/15 – Deportes Savio 2-1 Vida
The host side took the advantage in the 33rd minute through captain Elroy Smith. Five minutes later Carlos Solorzano doubled the lead. Vida’s lone tally came via Smith, who sent the ball into his own goal just before halftime. Scoring – DS: Elroy Smith 33; DS: Carlos Solozano 38; VID: Own goal (Elroy Smith) 45

8/15 – Real Espana 1-2 Necaxa
Newly promoted Necaxa took the lead seven minutes into the match on a header from Ruben Licona. The hosts leveled in the 30th minute when Julio Rodriguez found Luis Lobo for the equalizer from the middle of the box. Four minutes into the second half Luis Rodas connected with Nery Medina for the winner. Scoring – NEC: Ruben Licona 7; RE: Luis Lobo 30; NEC: Nery Medina 49

8/15 – Motagua 2-2 Hispano
On a field ravaged by flood, the visitors took the lead 34 minutes in on a corner from Francis Reyes that found Paul Genovese. A strike from Pompilio Cacho doubled the lead three minutes before the break. An own goal from defender Angel Hill put Motagua in reach and two controversial send-offs of Hispano’s Dany Pineda (74) and Juan Carlos Raudales (88) left the visitors defending for the win. Marcelo Cabrita took advantage of the extra men, scoring the equalizer in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time. Scoring – HIS: Pablo Genovese 34; HIS: Pompilio Cacho 42; MOT: Own goal (Angel Hill) 65; MOT: Marcelo Cabrita 95+

Panama

Eliminated Champions League side Tauro picked up their first win of the year, capturing a 2-0 victory on the road in one of three Friday evening contests. San Francisco remains winless following a 2-2 draw at home to Plaza Amador and Sporting San Miguelito suffered its first loss, falling at home to Chorillo, which nabbed its first win by a narrow 1-0 decision. In Saturday’s lone contest, league leader Arabe Unido slipped by Chepo, 1-0, in a battle for first. The week’s action wrapped up with a scoreless stalemate between Atletico Chiriqui and visiting Alianza.