Herediano's Randall Azofeifa (pictured) celebrates after scoring against visiting Isidro Metapan in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League on August 6, 2015, in Heredia, Costa Rica. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
HEREDIA, Costa Rica – Herediano continued to demonstrate its mastery at home in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL), opening the 2015/16 edition with a 3-0 win over Isidro Metapan on Thursday.
The current Costa Rican champion secured maximum points for the fifth straight time at the Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero, while Isidro Metapan’s SCCL road winless streak was extended to nine games (0W-1D-8L).
Jonathan Hansen scored the Florenses' last goal of the 2014/15 SCCL and tallied their first of the new campaign in just the third minute. The 26-year-old made a strong run to the left the post, reaching Kenny Cunningham’s low, left-footed cross and directing the ball past goalkeeper Henry Hernandez from five-yards out.
Three minutes later, Randall Azofeifa received a return pass in the right side of the box off a neat give-and-go with Oscar Esteban Granados. After taking a touch, he placed a right-footed shot past Hernandez to make it 2-0 with his first career SCCL goal.
Though the break may have taken some steam out of the encounter, Cunningham wasn’t finished and struck for a 58th minute insurance goal. Elias Aguilar delightfully lifted a superb ball with the outside of his left foot into the right side of the box, allowing Cunningham to get behind the defense. With notable composure, the 30-year-old chipped over Hernandez from the right corner of the six-yard box.
Herediano, which improved to 3-0-0 against Metapan in SCCL play, returns to Group B action on August 26 against visiting Tigres. Isidro Metapan, though, will first visit the Mexican side eight days earlier.
