MIAMI, Florida – 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf League champions Alajuelense of Costa Rica will begin their quest for a second crown when they meet Aguila of El Salvador in the first leg of the 2022 SCL Preliminary Round on Tuesday night at the Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza in San Miguel, El Salvador.
It marks the start of Alajuelense’s fourth SCL campaign and third one in a row after qualifying as the non-champion with the best aggregate record during the 2021 Clausura season in Costa Rican football.
The Ticos have a side that is overflowing with talent and chock-full of legendary Concacaf names. Look no further than all-time SCL leading scorer Johan Venegas, who has 14 goals in the tournament.
There is also the veteran duo of MF Celso Borges and winger Bryan Ruiz, who each played a big role in helping Costa Rica resurrect their FIFA World Cup hopes. Add to the fact that Honduran MF and 2020 SCL Golden Ball winner Alex Lopez is also in the mix, it all gives Alajuelense the ingredients for a deep run.
Aguila are appearing in their third SCL and first since 2019 after claiming the 2022 Clausura in El Salvador. The best previous finish for the Cuscatlecos was a quarterfinal run in that inaugural edition in 2017, and while they have never faced Alajuelense in the tournament, they did go toe-to-toe in the 2019 Round of 16 with another Costa Rican team, giants Deportivo Saprissa, who would end up lifting the trophy that year.
Saprissa emerged with a 2-1 win on aggregate during which Venegas, then a member of Saprissa, was largely kept under wraps by the Aguila defense and was limited to just one goal.
No doubt the Salvadoran side would like to deliver another solid defensive performance against Venegas and company in Tuesday’s first leg.
This marks the eighth meeting all-time between the two clubs, with the previous encounters coming in either the Copa Interclubes de la UNCAF or the Concacaf Champions Cup. Alajuelense hold an edge of four wins and three draws in the series.