SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa clinched first-place in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup thanks to a commanding 5-0 victory over Coban Imperial of Guatemala at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Javon East and Orlando Sinclair each had a pair of goals to give Saprissa 10 points to finish atop the group.
Saprissa wasted no time in taking it to the Guatemalan visitors, with Ariel Rodriguez handing the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 13’ when he redirected in a cross from the left flank.
Saprissa stayed on the front foot and looked to double their advantage. Coban Imperial held firm, but only for so long and by the 58’ the scoreboard read 2-0 to the Ticos when a pass flighted into the area was controlled by East and tucked away by the Jamaican for the goal.
It quickly became 3-0 to Saprissa in the 63’ when Sinclair confidently converted a penalty, putting the Monstruo Morado in the driver’s seat.
The icing on the cake for Saprissa came in the 80’ with Sinclair tallying his second of the night by taking a cross from the left and cleverly lofting it over the GK and into net for a 4-0 lead.
The night was then capped by an excellent right-footed finish from East in the 90’ to complete the 5-0 scoreline.
