Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa moved into first place in Group 2 with a 3-0 victory over Real Esteli on Tuesday night in 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League action. Forward Ariel Rodríguez Araya scored all three goals for Saprissa and is now tied atop the CCL scoring chart with four goals in this year's competition.
<strong>Pos.</strong> |
<strong>Group 2</strong> |
<strong>G</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>T</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
<strong>Pts</strong> |
<b>1</b> |
Saprissa (CRC) |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
<b>4</b> |
<b>2</b> |
Real Esteli (NIC) |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
-3 |
<b>2</b> |
<b>3</b> |
Sporting KC (USA) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
<b>1</b> |
Sporting Kansas City's two group stage opponents had previously played to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 16 in Nicaragua, but Tuesday's rematch belonged to Saprissa from the start. Rodriguez opened the scoring in the 18th minute, powering a right-footed shot inside the near post after a give-and-go with Diego Estrada. The 24-year-old added two more goals in the second half, flicking in a backheel in the 74th minute and finishing from close range with a header in the 89th minute.
The match -- played at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica due to poor field conditions at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma caused by a Monster Jam event in May -- leaves Saprissa unbeaten in their last six CONCACAF Champions League home matches. The "Monstruo Morado" will now face Sporting Kansas City in their final two games of the group stage, traveling to Sporting Park on Sept. 18 before hosting the MLS Cup champions on Oct. 23 in the Group 2 finale.
Visit SportingKC.com/CCL for complete coverage of Sporting KC's run through the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League. Tickets are currently available on Ticketmaster.com for Sporting Kansas City's two group stage home matches on Sept. 18 (Saprissa) and Sept. 23 (Real Esteli) at Sporting Park.
2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League
Group Stage | Group 2
Estadio Nacional | San Jose, Costa Rica
<strong>Stats</strong> |
<strong>EST</strong> |
<strong>SAP</strong> |
<p>Shots</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>13</p> |
<p>Recoveries</p> |
<p>25</p> |
<p>26</p> |
<p>Fouls</p> |
<p>12</p> |
<p>18</p> |
<p>Clearances</p> |
<p>38</p> |
<p>26</p> |
<p>Corner Kicks</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>10</p> |
Real Esteli (0-1-2, 2 pts): 1-Justo Lorente; 21-Félix Rodríguez, 2-Alan Kardek, 3-Eduardo Praes, 7-Manuel Rosas; 12-Elmer Mejía, 19-Jefferson de Almeida (8-Andrés Ramírez 77), 27-Rodrigo Valiente Baraybar; 10-Samuel Wilson, 11-Rudel (9-Carlos Chavarría 61), 20-Juan Barrera (23-Nahun Peralta 86)
Subs Not Used: 6-Cristian Gutierrez Peralta, 13-Francisco Paz, 15-Franklin López, 29-Roger Sanchez Arias
Deportivo Saprissa (1-0-1, 4 pt): 1-Danny Carvajal; 2-Jordan Smith, 5-Rafael Morales de León, 13-Adolfo Machado, 19-Keylor Soto; 20-David Guzmán, 21-Diego Estrada (25-Manfred Russell Russell 67), 23-Juan Bustos (11-Marvin Angulo Borbón 72); 7-David Ramirez Ruiz (9-Hansell Arauz 61), 14-Ariel Rodríguez Araya, 26-Daniel Colindres
Subs Not Used: 15-Deyver Vega, 18-Kevin Briceño, 31-Gualberto Montenegro, 33-Carlos Saucedo
Misconduct Summary:
SAP - Daniel Colindres (caution) 24
EST - Alan Kardek (caution) 24
SAP - Juan Bustos (caution) 49
EST - Rodrigo Valiente Baraybar (caution) 78
Scoring Summary:
SAP - Ariel Rodríguez Araya 18
SAP - Ariel Rodríguez Araya 74
SAP - Ariel Rodríguez Araya 89
Referee: Walter Lopez (Guatemala)
Assistant 1: Douglas Bermudez (El Salvador)
Assistant 2: Juan Lemus (Guatemala)
Fourth official: Juan Carlos Guerra (Guatemala)
