Heredia Toys with Alajuela 1-0
by Rod Hughes
Perhaps the newspaper Al Dia’s sportswriter summed it up best when he sarcastically wrote that he could scarcely believe his eyes that both teams were on the field but that Heredia appeared to be playing alone in their 1-0 romp over Alajuela.
The way Milton Montenegro wrote it up, Alajuela simply stood around while like observers while All-Star Alajuela goalie Wardy Alfaro repeatedly saved Costa Rican soccer’s winningest team from “major shame.”
Heredia first knocked at the door, then hammered and finally broke it down in minute 69 when Marvin Angulo put one past goalie Alfaro. According to Montenegro, Alfaro’s teammates were standing, thumbs in their waistbands (possibly because soccer shorts don’t have pockets to put their hands in) like spectators at an accident scene. Manfully, Alfaro accepted the blame for the defeat but at least one Tico sportwriter doesn’t believe a word of his mia culpa.
Saprissa-Carmelito
While Saprissa coach Jeaustin Campos shouted at the trainer to hurry up and get Pablo Brenes, replacement midfielder, ready to go on the field late in the first half, he must have had some premonition. Brenes came on at minute 42 and, four minutes later in replacement time, passed to Alonso Solis for the winning (and only) goal of the game. It was the first loss of the season for high-flying Carmelita and its new coach Mauricio Montero.
In other results during the weekend, it was Puntarenas over Santos, 1-0, Liberia and Brujas finishing tied 2-2, Perez Zeledon swamping San Carlos 3-1 and University of Costa Rica over Cartago 2-1.
Puntarenas still leads Group A with 11 points, trailed by
Alajuela, Heredia and UCR each with 8 points. In Group B, Liberia has surprised even itself by leading with 8 points, trailed by Saprissa and Perez Zeledon with 6.