Saprissa Continues Its Winless Ways
by Rod Hughes
Saprissa continued to find the goal area alien territory Sunday, tying San Carlos 1-1. The tie did not do either club any good: San Carlos is out of the running for the finals and Saprissa dropped from being overal leader (due to its nine-match winning streak earlier this year) in the standings.
The big purple “S” hammered at the goal 11 times but only made a single goal, by Alejandro Alpizar on an assist by Celso Borges to tie it at minute 22. But you have to give Saprissa credit for seeming to get their old aggressiveness back, especially since San Carlos’s Luis Jair Arroyo had scored on a pass from Marcos Mena after only nine minutes of play. This time, they didn’t come all unravelled.
Alajuela 2, Cartago 0
Alajuela managed to knock Cartago out of any chance at playing in the finals and got the point advantage in the overal standings with their 2-0 victory over Cartago. The victory crowned a fine afternoon for Victor Nunez who made the first goal a bare 12 minutes into the match and then passed at minute 75 to Pablo Herrera to sank the insurance goal.
The match was largely lackluster for Cartago whose 11 passed long minutes of yawn-inducing play interspersed between seconds of competence.
Liberia 1, Santos 1
A sorry day in Guapiles was Sunday, when the tie with Liberia assured that the club lost its last chance to stay in the First Division. If Santos had won, it would have been Cartago getting the “passport to obscurity” as one sportwriter put it. Instead it ended six years of Santos challenging the big boys.
Things looked bright for Santos when Eliecer Delgado on an assist by Gustavo Martinez surprised the Liberia defense after only three minutes on the pitch. But only 12 minutes later, Liberia’s veteran William Sunsing evened it up with an assist by Allan Aleman. Sunsing proved to be the club’s hangman.
Heredia 4, Carmelita 0
Heredia not only overwhelmed Carmelita but earned its place in the finals of the Summer Tournament. Playing in their home pitch, In fact, it took on the aspect of an Heredia fiesta with a sort of “it’s your turn next to score.”
Goals were> Roberth Arias after only 4 minutes, Marvin Angulo at the end of the first half, Franklin Chacon at minute 74 and Jafet soto for minutes later. It was Paulo Cesar Wanchope’s first victory as coach and an important one it was.
Brujas 1, Perez Zeledon 1
Two hopefuls for the final round in the Summer Tourney met, tied—and both won. By not losing, the matchmatics gave both a birth. Carmelita veteran Jewisson Bennett scored first on an assist by Tirso Guio. At minute 35 Osman Lopez tied it.
Despite being shoo-ins for the semifinals, neither side was giving quarter.