SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – If there was ever a moment to change the course of history, Alianza believes the time is now.
On Thursday, the Albos will host Olimpia in their 2017 Scotiabank CONCACAF League quarterfinal, first leg, fully aware of the statistics. They have never beaten the Honduran power in a CONCACAF competition, posting a 0W-0D-3L record.
“The history is there, but it is also there to be reversed,” Alianza head coach Jorge Rodriguez said in a pre-match press conference Wednesday. “That is one of the things, as Alianza, we have to change. Play a good match and get a win to cement passage to the next round.”
Alianza has already flexed its muscles at the Estadio Cuscatlan in this SCL by earning a 2-1 win in the Round of 16, second-leg encounter against Platense – another Honduran club – on August 8.
Nearly 7,000 fans attended the match and Rodriguez hopes that level of support continues.
“It is always better to play at home,” commented the 46-year-old. “For that, I think of what our team can do. We have the chance to get an advantage. We are going to try to take advantage of the good football that our players play and try to get a win that gives us the advantage there in Tegucigalpa.”
Also in Alianza’s favor is the sparkling form of forward Rodolfo Zelaya, who has two goals and one assist in two SCL games. He’s not worried about personal statistics, though.
“One, as a forward, it is always important to score goals,” he concluded. “But if in the end the goals do not come through for me, but the team wins, that is more important.”