CARTAGO, Costa Rica – Visiting Herediano topped Cartagines 3-2 on Wednesday to gain the upper hand in their 2014 Costa Rican Invierno semifinal series.
Yendrick Ruíz (6’, 81’ pen) struck twice for the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinalist, while Victor Nuñez (8’) extended his scoring streak to three games with one goal. Jameson Scott (63’ pen) and Kevin Vega (90’+1) got on the scoresheet for Cartagines.
Both sides finished with 10 players following the late ejections of Carlos Johnson (Cartagines, 81’) and Francisco Calvo (Herediano, 84’)
Herediano head coach Jafet Soto was pleased with the victory, but cautioned that nothing has been decided.
“We came to shutdown Cartagines,” said Soto. “The series is not finished. The goal is clear, reach the final. At home, we are very strong. We are going to prepare ourselves to welcome the best Cartagines.”
Soto also praised the performance of Nuñez, who netted six times during the regular season.
“[Nuñez] in any moment can score a goal on you,” the 38-year-old commented. “He is a player you have to be careful with when he is on a hot streak.”
Although Cartagines head coach Claudio Ciccia knows that the task ahead is a tall one, he believes that securing the needed result in Sunday’s second leg at the Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero is possible.
“The team leaves with the feeling that we are still alive,” said Ciccia. “We gifted the first 15 minutes and that decided the proceedings of the match. This is football and one must turn the page. The team showed honor in the second half.”
Herediano has won three consecutive games, while Cartagines saw its three-match winning streak end in the first leg loss.
