SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Jorge Benguche scored a pair of goals to power Olimpia past Deportivo Saprissa 2-0 on Thursday night in the first leg of the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League semifinals at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
It was an even start between the two teams, but soon the Hondurans started applying pressure and that would yield a 1-0 lead in the 24’.
Ever Alvarado did very well to beat a defender on the left wing before crossing to the charging Benguche, who turned the shot into net for the goal.
Saprissa began to work their way into the match, and the Monstruo Morado found themselves up a man with a full half-hour to go when German Mejia went sent off with a second yellow card.
Olimpia GK Harold Fonseca was pressed almost immediately into duty and had to stretch to make a diving save on a header off a free kick.
Saprissa pushed numbers forward in search of a goal, but the space left behind opened the door for Olimpia’s second in the 80’, as a long ball up to Beguche saw the big striker beat a defender and fire in for the 2-0 final scoreline.