The finals are set to get underway in domestic action in Nicaragua and Honduras, while finalists will be decided this weekend in Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador.
NICARAGUA
The finals begin in Nicaragua, as three-time defending champion Real Esteli visits the capital on Sunday to take on familiar foe Walter Ferretti, the last team to win the Nicaraguan title before the Tren del Norte began its run in 2011.
There is some precedent for this finals match-up, most recently the 2011 Apertura. A year ago, Walter Ferretti was on the brink of a title, when a second half stoppage-time goal by Luis Gonzalez instead gave a second straight championship to Real Esteli.
HONDURAS
Olimpia and Victoria, the two top clubs of the Apertura 2012, meet in the first leg of the final on Saturday, with both teams hoping to gian an early advantage. The clubs are led by two of the top scorers of the Honduran tournament -- Olimpia's Roger Rojas leads the way with nine goals, while Colombian Mauricio Copete (Victoria's all-time leading scorer), has seven, good for third this season.
These two teams have met in two previous finals, most recently in 2006, when they disputed a hard-fought series from which Olimpia eventually prevailed a 4-3 aggregate win. The previous encounter came in 1995, when the team from La Ceiba made history by capturing the only title in its 77-year history.
GUATEMALA
Comunicaciones and Malacateco played to a scoreless tie in a downpour on Wednesday afternoon, and now head back to the capital for a Saturday evening showdown at the Estadio Cementos Progreso.
The Cremas led the regular season table, and need only a tie to advance. But the home side is well aware of the danger posed in a battle of Costa Rican coaches, as Mauricio Wright's Malacateco side knocked off defending champion Xelaju in the opening playoff round.
In the other semifinal, played in Morales, Heredia and Municipal tied 1-1 in the first leg. The home side opened the scoring in the 26th minute through Uruguayan Andres Marquez, but Municipal's Santiago Lopez tied matters in the second half, to send the series back to the capital all level ahead of Sunday's rematch.
EL SALVADOR
Finalists will be determined this weekend in El Salvador, as defending champion Aguila looks to overcome a deficit on the road, while FAS and Alianza resolve matters in San Salvador.
In the first legs played last weekend, FAS and Alianza played to a 1-1 tie in their opening match in Santa Ana, while Isidro Metapan went on the road to shock the defending champs, 2-1. The game in Metapan is scheduled for Saturday night, while the match in San Salvador will take place Sunday afternoon.
COSTA RICA
In the two versus three semifinal series, Herediano and Saprissa head back to the capital tied at one. The Purple Monster and defending champion Herediano, a 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinalist, face off again on Monday afternoon for a spot in the final.
In the other tie, Limon will need to overcome a one goal deficit when it travels to Alajuelense on Sunday, after falling by the minimum difference to La Liga in the opener. In a match played Wednesday night at the National Stadium, Alajuelense came out on top on a 36th minute goal from Johnny Acosta.
