Action from the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League match between Isidro Metapan (blue jersey) and Herediano on August 6, 2015, in Heredia, Costa Rica. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
METAPAN, El Salvador -- Isidro Metapan (0W-0D-2L, 0 points) has no choice but to beat visiting Herediano (1W-1D-0L, 4 points) on Thursday in order to avoid being eliminated from the 2015/16 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League contention.
Three points at the Estadio Jorge ‘Calero’ Suarez, however, would still see the Jaguares (0W-0D-6L in last 6 SCCL games) remain in last place behind the Florenses and Tigres (1W-1D-0L, 4 points), the co-leaders in Group B.
Metapan, which sits 11th in the 12-team Salvadoran Apertura with 1W-4D-2L record, has lost each of its previous three SCCL encounters with Herediano by a combined score of 11-2.
In their last meeting on August 6, the Costa Rican champion emerged a 3-0 winner. Jonathan Hansen (3’) and Randall Azofeifa (7’) set the tone with early goals, while Kenny Cunningham (59’) punctuated the scoreline with a fine chip off a superb pass from Elias Aguilar.
Despite that relatively routine victory, Azofeifa is not taking anything for granted.
"It will be a very difficult game," said the 30-year-old midfielder. "They are very strong team at home and they will be playing in front of their own fans at their own stadium. It will be a very different encounter when we play here."
Herediano – the Costa Rican Apertura leader with a 6W-1D-1L mark -- will be without defender Allan Miranda and midfielder Johan Condega, who were left home to recuperate from injuries.
