SAN ISIDRO DE EL GENERAL, Costa Rica - While qualifying for a CONCACAF tournament is always a great achievement for any club, Perez Zeledon's entry into the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF League will have a special feeling to it.
For the first time in the club's 27-year history, Perez Zeledon will play in a CONCACAF tournament thanks to their title-winning campaign in Costa Rica's 2017 Apertura.
Going up against Costa Rica's two most decorated clubs in Deportivo Saprissa and Herediano and 2017 SCL finalist Santos de Guapiles, Perez Zeledon emerged on top in the round-robin Quadrangular before defeating Herediano 1-0 on aggregate in the final, courtesy of a Jeikel Venegas goal that will forever live in Perez Zeledon lore.
But just because Perez Zeledon lack experience in regional tournaments does not mean they will not be a threat in the 2018 SCL.
The Tico side boasts plenty of weapons. FW Josue Mitchell was the second-leading scorer during the 2017 Apertura with 11 goals, and scored 17 goals in 45 matches over the course of the 2017 Apertura and 2018 Clausura.
Mitchell forms a lethal one-two punch with fellow striker Lauro Cazal, who scored 10 goals during the 2017 Apertura, good enough for third-best in the individual scoring table.
Perhaps what makes Perez Zeledon such an interesting team to watch is the offensive contribution they also get from the back.
Defender and team captain Keylor Soto is always a threat in the opposing team's penalty area, evidenced by his 13 goals scored in 48 matches during the 2017 Apertura and 2018 Clausura.
While it may be a maiden voyage in CONCACAF for Perez Zeledon, one could say that the pieces are there to make it a memorable debut.