Alajuelense secured a 3-1 victory over Diriangen in the CONCACAF Central American Cup Group Stage on 5 August 2026. The Costa Rican side took control early and held firm through a tense finish. It was a result that puts them in a stronger position within their group.
C. Reyes opened the scoring in the third minute, catching Diriangen off guard. J. Ruiz doubled the lead just six minutes later, and here's the thing — that 12-minute burst changed the complexion entirely. Diriangen could not find their rhythm after conceding twice so quickly.
Just before the break, J. Lucumi picked up a yellow card in the 45th minute, a warning that things were getting tight. R. Cisneros pulled one back for the hosts in the 48th minute, and by then the match had opened up again. D. Paz went into the book for Alajuelense five minutes into the second half.
Both managers made changes as the game progressed. J. Lucumi was replaced in the 65th minute. Alajuelense brought on H. Rojas and K. Michel together in the 75th minute, while Diriangen responded by bringing on R. Cisneros and B. Barja in quick succession.
Alajuelense sealed their advantage late on. A. Hernandez found the net in the 90th minute and 5 seconds of stoppage time, after R. Wilson had been cautioned in the 89th minute. The goal came after A. Vargas and J. Coronel had already received yellow cards in the 72nd and 74th minutes respectively.
Alajuelense edged possession at 52 per cent and registered 5 shots on target compared to Diriangen's 4. They won 8 corners to 3, though Diriangen managed more attacks overall at 88 to 82. Shots accuracy sat at 0.36 for the visitors versus 0.44 for the hosts.
Three points on the board gives Alajuelense breathing room in the group standings. Diriangen now face a mountain to climb if they want to progress. The result shows that early goals can define what follows in this competition.
