MIAMI, Florida – An All-Costa Rican quarterfinal is on the docket in the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup, as past Concacaf champions Cartagines and Alajuelense meet in the first leg on Thursday at the Estadio Jose Rafael Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica.
There has been one previous meeting between these two clubs in Concacaf play, with Cartagines winning a 2-1 affair in the 1997 Concacaf Champions Cup. Meanwhile, in Costa Rican domestic action, Alajuelense lead the all-time series by a healthy margin of 31W-20D-11L.
Cartagines captured a second-place finish in Group A behind another Costa Rican club, Deportivo Saprissa, accumulating a 2W-1D-1L record in the process.
Allen Guevara and Marcel Hernandez scored two goals each in the group stage, accounting for half of the team’s goals over the course of the four games.
Douglas Lopez led the way in passes with 172 on top of scoring a goal, while Carlos Barahona was exceptional in making 10 ball recoveries.
Those players and more will be called upon to try to stymie what is a very powerful Alajuelense side. The 2022 Concacaf League runners-up muscled their way to a perfect finish in Group D and were the only team to have won all four matches in the group stage.
They were also one of the highest scoring teams in the group stage with 10 goals, including a five-goal barrage in their finale versus Honduran stalwarts Motagua.
It is a side with decorated figures all over the field. Veteran MF Celso Borges led the way with a whopping 272 passes in the group stage, while 39-year-old attacker Michael Barrantes scored two goals and had an assist.
Joshua Navarro also had a pair of goals and an assist, and Freddy Gondola was a constant nuisance for opposing defenses in his 252 minutes on the field, with a goal from eight shots and an assist.
Match Officials CS Cartagines (CRC) vs LD Alajuelense (CRC)
REF: NELSON SALGADO (Honduras)
AR1: WALTER LOPEZ (Honduras)
AR2: GERSON ORELLANA (Honduras)
4TH: SAID MARTINEZ (Honduras)
