Herediano (pictured) celebrates after scoring against visiting Club America in a Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, first leg game on March 17, 2015, in Heredia, Costa Rica. (Photo: Imagenes en Costa Rica)
HEREDIA, Costa Rica -- Second-half goals from Esteban Ramirez, Yendrick Ruiz and Jonatan Hansen gave host Herediano a 3-0 victory over 10-man Club America in the first leg of their Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinal series on Tuesday at the Estadio Eladio Rosabal.
Ruiz also helped set-up Ramirez’s opening strike at the Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero, where America’s Michael Arroyo was sent off midway through the first half.
The Costa Rican side can advance to the final even with a two-goal loss in the return leg on April 8 at the Estadio Azteca.
Ramirez gave Herediano a 1-0 lead eight minutes after the break, finishing off after a superb combination with Ruiz into the left side of the penalty area. The 28-year-old defender curled home a 15-yard shot around diving goalkeeper Hugo Gonzalez and off the right post.
The home supporters were given another reason to celebrate as Ruiz doubled the host’s lead in the 69th minute, when he rose high to head Verny Scott’s out-swinging service over Gonzalez. It was Ruiz’s sixth career SCCL goal, tying him for his club’s all-time lead with Jorge Barbosa.
Hansen punctuated the scoreline in the 82nd minute, heading an Elias Aguilar feed into the right corner.
After an even opening 20 minutes, the match turned on Arroyo’s ejection. With Herediano’s Cristhian Lagos in possession in front of his team’s bench, Arroyo tackled with his foot extending over the ball and into Lago’s shin.
As Lagos fell, he caught what seemed to be an inadvertent foot to the temple by America defender Paolo Goltz. The forward received medical attention, but remained in the match.
Herediano extended its SCCL home winning streak to a team-record four games, while America saw its four-match winning run come to an end.
