by Rod Hughes

Alajuela fans are beginning to forget the last time their soccer side beat Saprissa in the national championship league. The younger ones probably never saw the last victory. And you can add the notches Saprissa has carved in its gunbutt in the UNCAF regional tourney.

Saprissa has won the last 15 “classics,” as the matches between the two winning-est teams in national soccer are called. They are two of the oldest in the First Division, Costa Rica’s equivalent of the MLS. And Saprissa did it again Wednesday on Alajuela’s home turf, Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, 1-0. Alajuela’s nemsis this time was Saprissa’s Alejandro Alpízar who slammed a left-foot kick through the arc at minute 39.

Alajuela, which had been playing reasonably well, seemed to fall apart after that goal, as if to say, “Oh no, not again!” Saprissa by contrast played like a clock with a new battery, showing that the work of coach Jeaustin Campos has paid off in a big way. He drills his charges hard between games, but it obviously works.

Unnoticed by the fans, two members of La Doce, that group of drunken Alajuela fans who invaded the pitch Nov. 27 and whose violence against police caused Alajuela to lose a possible third place finish in the UNCAF internation tourney, tried to sneak in at half time. They were recognised by police and taken downtown to lockup. By court order, they should have been barred from Alajuela province, let alone the stadium. Six of the La Doce gang are banned from the stadium.

by Rod Hughes

While Saprissa was putting another step on its ladder to the so-called “opening tourney” of the regular season, Brujas of Escazu and Heredia were tying 0-0 Wednesday. For Brujas, clearly the dominant side, it was complete frustration, partly due to their having to oplay with 10 men for 50 minutes. This was after Colombian Ricardo Steer rammed Heredia defender Roberth Arias with his chest and referee Hugo Cruz gave him the red card. Some considered Cruz’s decision to expell Steer undly harsh but it was so blatant and ill-natured that the official could hardly ignore it.

Outstanding was Heredia goalie Ricardo González in staving off the repeated Brujas attacks. On the other hand, the offense of his teammates appeared timid and, well, inoffensive.