MIAMI, Florida – 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup runners-up Real Esteli of Nicaragua will take aim at another Concacaf giant when they host Mexico’s Club America in the first leg of Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup at the Estadio Independencia in Esteli, Nicaragua.
It will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams and it will be imperative for the Nicaraguan hosts to get off to a quick start.
Real Esteli were exceptional at home in last fall’s Central American Cup and registered respective 1-0 victories against a pair of past Concacaf champions, Olimpia of Honduras and Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica.
No doubt that the Pinoleros will look to utilize a similar formula against Las Aguilas. Real Esteli will be leaning on players such as Byron Bonilla and Ebert Martinez to get the job done. Bonilla had a goals in nine Central American Cup games, while Martinez was a vacuum cleaner in the middle of the park with 22 ball recoveries.
Review the history of Real Estelí and Club América in the CCC.
Then there is of course legendary goalscorer Juan Barrera, who had two goals in the Central American Cup and has played in a whopping 20 Champions Cup matches in his decorated career.
No team has more Champions Cup titles than Club America, whose last crown came in 2015-16. Their three previous participations ended in heartbreak, with semifinal defeats in 2018 and 2020 and then the Final in 2021.
From back-to-front, Club America are talented. Look no further than attackers like Julian Quinones and Henry Martin. Quinones scored 10 goals in the 2023 Liga MX Apertura and was a Champions Cup winner with Tigres in 2020. Martin had eight goals in 16 games last season with Club America and in his career has tallied five goals in 11 Champions Cup matches.
Club America also have big-game experience with FW Jonathan Rodriguez, a three-time Liga MX champion who also appeared in the Champions Cup with Cruz Azul in 2020 and 2021.
Real Esteli (NCA) vs Club America (MEX)
REF: DREW FISCHER (Canada)
AR1: CORY RICHARDSON (USA)
AR2: KATHRYN NESBITT (USA)
4TH: BRYAN LOPEZ (Guatemala)
VAR: JOSEPH DICKERSON (USA)
VAR1: CHRIS PENSO (USA)
