MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf Central American Cup continues with Antigua GFC hosting Alianza FC in Group A on Tuesday at Estadio Pensativo in Antigua, Guatemala.

Antigua enters the match after a 4-1 win at Managua FC in its tournament opener. Francisco Apaolaza delivered a standout performance, contributing two goals and an assist. José Espinoza and Milton Maciel were the other players on the scoresheet for the Guatemalan side. The Panzas Verdes will aim to secure another three points to preserve its lead atop Group A.

Francisco Apaolaza became the first Argentine debutant to score two goals in a single Central American Cup match for Antigua GFC.

 

 


Antigua GFC also became the Guatemalan team with the most instances of scoring four goals in a single Central American Cup match (2), surpassing Cobán Imperial (1) and Comunicaciones FC (1).

Alianza FC will kick off its second appearance in search of advancing past the Group Stage for the first time. Alianza qualified for the competition by winning the Torneo Clausura 2025 to claim its 18th league title and recently opened the Torneo Apertura 2025 with one win and three draws in its first four fixtures.

All-Time Series

They will face each other for the first time in the Central American Cup.

Antigua GFC and Alianza FC have previously met in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where Alianza FC recorded one win and one draw in Group F of the 2016-2017 edition. In the first leg at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador on August 23, 2016, they drew 1-1 (Óscar Guerrero for Alianza and Mauro Portillo for Antigua GFC). In the return leg, Alianza FC won 3-1 with a hat trick from Óscar Guerrero, while Manfred Russell scored for Antigua GFC.

For Antigua GFC, this will be their second match against a club from El Salvador in the Central American Cup. In the 2024 edition, they drew 0-0 in Group C against CD Águila on August 6, 2024, at Estadio Pensativo in Antigua (GUA).

For Alianza FC, this will be their second match against Guatemalan clubs in the Central American Cup. In the 2024 edition, they fell 0-1 to Comunicaciones FC in Group B at Estadio Cementos Progreso in Guatemala City (GUA), with Alejandro Henríquez scoring an own goal.