Fabian Arsenio Castillo (pictured) during Antigua GFC's Guatemalan Apertura match against visiting Comunicaciones on July 30, 2016, in Antigua, Guatemala. (Photo: Luis Rolando Solares)
ANTIGUA, Guatemala -- Fabian Arsenio Castillo arrived in June to strengthen the Antigua GFC roster and now he’s looking forward to playing in the club’s first-ever Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League match, when it meets the host New York Red Bulls on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old forward has adapted nicely to his new surroundings, netting three goals in four games as the Green and White have opened defense of their Guatemalan title with a 2W-0D-2L record. Teammate Agustin Herrera leads the league in scoring with five goals.
"This tournament is the most important in which I’ll play since I became a footballer," he told CONCACAF.com. "Now both my teammates and I want to make a good impression."
In its last 2016 Apertura outing Saturday, Antigua GFC dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Comunicaciones. Herrera equalized in the 29th minute, but Jean Marquez’s goal two minutes before halftime proved to be the difference.
"I think we’ve come in and raised the level of our football,” said Castillo, who played for Patria in his native Argentina last season. “Beyond that, we had a stumble in the last game.”
In the New York Red Bulls, Antigua GFC is facing a side that finished with the best 2015 regular-season record in Major League Soccer and currently sits second in the Eastern Conference thanks to a five-game unbeaten streak.
“We know we’re going to facing a great team," Castillo remarked. "It is an important team in its league. We know very well how it plays, but we will try to impose our game.”
As for the club’s SCCL debut, Castillo couldn’t be more thrilled.
"We are all excited and eager to start that game,” he finished. “Not only will Antigua be expectant, but all of Guatemala.”
