MIAMI, Florida – Three goals in 13 second half minutes powered Alajuelense to a 3-1 victory over fellow Costa Rican side Cartagines in the first leg of their 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup quarterfinal on Thursday at the Estadio Jose Rafael Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica.
Alajuelense had the bulk of the scoring chances in the first half, with the best chance coming on a Giancarlo Gonzalez header off a corner kick in the 33’ that sailed wide.
The steady stream of pressure from Alajuelense finally gave way in the 55’, as Joel Campbell scored a crucial away goal when he latched onto a cutback pass from Carlos Mora and fired into net for a 1-0 Alajuelense lead.
Alajuelense were hungry for more and they tacked on another goal in the 64’ with Mora again serving as the playmaker, this time lofting in a cross from the right wing that was headed in by all-time Scotiabank Concacaf League top scorer Johan Venegas for a 2-0 advantage.
LD Alajuelense were flying and Cartagines were reeling, and in short order it was 3-0 to the visitors, as Venegas cut through the Cartagines defense and set up Aaron Suarez’s finish in the 67’.
The home side was desperate for a goal to get back to within shouting distance of Alajuelense and finally got the best of Leonel Moreira in the Alajuelense goal in the 88’, as a mad scramble in front of goal ended with Marcel Hernandez turning in a shot from a yard out to make it 3-1.
Leonel Moreira then had to make a massive save to prevent a second late goal from Cartagines, denying Jeikel Venegas on the doorstep to ensure Alajuelense’s two-goal cushion for the return leg at home.
