No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaSaprissa routs Cartaginés, Alajuelense beats Herediano in first leg of Costa Rica...

Saprissa routs Cartaginés, Alajuelense beats Herediano in first leg of Costa Rica playoffs

Saprissa dealt a decisive blow against Cartaginés with a 4-0 victory on Sunday in the first leg of the semifinals of the Clausura Championship of Costa Rica.

The four Saprissa goals were recorded in a span of nine minutes, between 63 and 72, through Michael Barrantes, Ariel Rodríguez, Christian Bolaños and Johan Venegas. Bolaños marked his sixteenth tally further solidified his position as the tournament’s top goal-scorer.

The win leaves this series all but decided, though the return match remains to be played Wednesday at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in Tibás. Cartaginés must prevail by a difference of five or more goals to advance.

In the other first leg of the semifinals, Alajuelense defeated reigning champion Herediano 2-0, with goals from Honduran Alex López (29) and Ariel Lassiter (78).

The Alajuelense-Herediano matchup is a rematch of the Apertura 2019 final.

The return will be played this Wednesday at the Eladio Rosabal Stadium in Heredia.

All matches in Costa Rica are held behind closed doors and with strict sanitary measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At this stage, the away goals rule is applied, in case the series end up equal in points and goals.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Tribunal Weighs Ban on Bukele Visit Over Neutrality Fears

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) is examining a request to bar Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from entering Costa Rica ahead of his planned visit...

Anonymous Bettor Profits Big on Maduro’s Capture Through Crypto Platform

An unidentified trader on the cryptocurrency prediction market Polymarket turned a $32,537 wager into more than $436,000 in profit by betting on the removal...

Madison Keys Leans on Adelaide Success for Australian Open Repeat Bid

American tennis star Madison Keys arrived in Adelaide on Sunday, ready to tap into the success she found there last year. That victory at...

Death of Foreign Activist Adds to Costa Rica’s Mounting Security Concerns

Authorities in Costa Rica continue to investigate the homicide of 36-year-old Francisco Ojeda Garcés, a Chilean environmentalist who had lived in the country for...

U.S. Real ID Rules Tighten for Domestic Flights, Impacting Costa Rica Travelers

U.S. airport security checkpoints have required REAL ID compliant identification for domestic flights since May 7, 2025, a rule that still catches some Costa...

Guanacaste Leads Coastal Recovery in Costa Rica Real Estate

Costa Rica’s real estate market heads into 2026 with steady footing after recent adjustments in high-end coastal areas. Buyers and investors find a landscape...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica