DIRIAMBA, Nicaragua – After winning their first ever Scotiabank Concacaf League match last week, Diriangen will be hoping to go a step further when they take on reigning SCL champions Comunicaciones in the second leg of the 2022 SCL Round of 16 on Tuesday night at the Estadio Cacique Diriangen in Diriamba, Nicaragua.
Diriangen collected a 1-0 win in the first leg in Guatemala City to earn the first SCL win for a Nicaraguan side against a Guatemalan opponent in the SCL.
But the job is only half-done for the Pinoleros, and even though they are playing at home in Tuesday’s second leg, they can expect a very aggressive Comunicaciones from the outset, with the Chapines needing the game’s first goal to even the series.
Ramiro Peters’ strike in the first half served as the difference in Guatemala, but it was the work rate of players like Robinson Da Silva, Luis Fernando Copete and Erick Tellez that laid the foundation for the historical result.
Da Silva supplied the assist on Peters’ goal, while Copete and Tellez each had three ball recoveries to cap a stellar defensive performance.
Keeping Comunicaciones, who scored 21 goals in their 2021 title run, off the scoresheet is no easy feat. There is an abundance of talent within the squad, including Honduran MF Kevin Lopez, who is poised to play in his 30th SCL game and is the tournament’s all-time assist leader (7).
Not to be outdone are Andres Lezcano and Alexander Larin. Lezcano has six goals and four assists in 14 SCL matches, while victory usually accompanies Larin. No single player has more SCL wins than the Salvadoran (14).
Match Officials:
Referee: Randy Encarnacion (Dominican Republic)
AR1: José Bare (Dominican Republic) AR2: Lendy Taveras (Dominican Republic)
4th Official: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)
Stats Cacive Diriangen vs Comunicaciones FC