SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – The 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League Preliminary Round continues on Thursday with a match-up pitting Alianza of El Salvador against Panama’s San Francisco at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Alianza enjoyed a strong preseason and finished with a 2W-0D-1L record with a total of six goals scored.
FW Raul Penaranda played a big role with a pair of goals scored in a 4-1 win over Alajuelense. The Colombian dangerman will look to continue that form into the 2019 SCL, which is Alianza’s first appearance in the tournament since the inaugural edition in 2017 when it reached the quarterfinals.
San Francisco will also arrive into Thursday’s clash feeling prepared after sending the last six weeks in preseason training.
Defense has been the focus of San Francisco’s work under Head Coach Gonzalo Soto, and that has bore out in the club’s preseason friendlies, which included a clean sheet against Hallelujah FC and an excellent 3-1 win over Tauro FC in the opening weekend of the Panamanian Apertura.