Saprissa attack hits stride against Santa Lucia

MIAMI, Florida – An impressive attacking display from Deportivo Saprissa saw the Costa Ricans earn a 4-2 win against a pesky Santa Lucia side in the second leg of the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League on Thursday night at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The result gave Saprissa a 6-2 win on aggregate and a spot in the quarterfinal round.

The hosts raced out to an early 1-0 lead in the 12’ with Jimmy Marin swinging in a cross that Orlando Sinclair did well to steer into net with a header.

Saprissa kept their foot on the gas and Marin was again the man to create a scoring chance, this time sliding a ball across for Christian Bolanos to finish for a 2-0 lead in the 16’.

But Santa Lucia would show that they were up for a fight and the visiting Guatemalans pulled a goal back 2-1 in the 18’ when Jonathan Velasquez met the cross of Mafre Icute with a pinpoint header into net.

Saprissa would wrestle back control, though, when a penalty was whistled in their favor and Mariano Torres stroked in the spot kick to give the Monstruo Morado a 3-1 lead in the 45’.

Yet Santa Lucia talisman Isaac Acuna would once again provide hope to his side in first half additional time when the Saprissa defense failed to clear their lines, allowing the ball to bounce to Acuna, who promptly deposited the ball into goal to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Santa Lucia continued to press forward to try to put additional pressure on Saprissa, but the Ticos withstood it and then capped their victorious night with their fourth and final score in the 75’, with Michael Barrantes taking a pass from Daniel Colindres and finishing for the 4-2 final.