C.D. Águila, San Francisco FC join the fray in Central American Cup

MIAMI — The 2024 Concacaf Central American Cup opens its second week of encounters on Tuesday, as the 20 best clubs compete to be crowned champions in early December.

C.D. Águila and San Francisco FC will start their respective campaigns as four other teams look to build on the results of the first match week. Managua FC and Deportivo Saprissa begin the week with an encounter for first place in Group D.

Managua FC vs. Deportivo Saprissa

Managua FC meets Deportivo Saprissa at the National Stadium in Managua, Nicaragua. The two clubs will face each other for the first time in the Central American Cup.

Managua began its campaign with a 1-nil victory over CSD Municipal, thanks to a goal from Arley Bonilla. The Nicaraguan side will stay home for its second group stage encounter, facing a Costa Rican club for the first time in Concacaf club tournaments.

Saprissa is also coming off a victory in the first match week of the tournament. Javon East, Luis Díaz, Orlando Sinclair, Jefferson Brenes, and Mariano Torres scored to lead Saprissa to a 5-nil win over Guanacasteca.

Both having three points, a winner in this encounter would be outright first place. Saprissa currently holds the top spot on goal difference.

FC Motagua vs. San Francisco FC

Fútbol Club Motagua faces San Francisco FC at the Chelato Uclés National Stadium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The two meet for the first time in the Concacaf Central American Cup.

Playing its first home match of the group stage, Motagua will look to bounce back from a 2-1 away loss at Cacique Diriangen FC. Luis Vega scored the lone goal for the Honduran side, at that point the equalizer in the match.

San Francisco FC will start its campaign in its tournament debut. The Panamanian side qualified for the 2024 edition due to its position in the cumulative points table of its domestic league.

Antigua GFC vs. C.D. Águila

Antigua GFC meets Club Deportivo Águila at the Pensativo Stadium in Antigua, Guatemala.

Making its debut last week, Antigua opened its history in the tournament with a 4-1 victory at Port Layola FC. The Guatemalan side was the lone away side to win in the first match week and the first side in the 2024 edition to get three points on the road.

José Ardón had a hat-trick performance in the victory in Belize, with Dennis Ramirez adding the fourth goal late in the game. The club seeks to build on that result with its first home match in the tournament.

Águila will seek to advance beyond the group stage for the first time after participating in the tournament's inaugural edition last year. The historic club won the 1976 Concacaf Champions Cup and seeks to return with one of the six berths awarded in the Central American Cup.

The Salvadoran club will seek its first victory against a Guatemalan team in the Central American Cup, falling 4-1 to Comunicaciones FC in 2023. This will be the 43rd all-time meeting between Águila and a Guatemalan club (6 wins, 26 losses, and 8 draws).