Alianza claimed a narrow victory over Herediano in the CONCACAF Central American Cup group stage, winning 1:0 on Wednesday evening. The hosts took all three points despite being outplayed for large stretches of the fixture. It was a match decided by a single moment rather than sustained dominance.
The decisive break came just after half-time when D. Romero found the net in the 46th minute. He tapped home from close range following a routine attacking move. That goal held up against the pressure that followed, and it was enough to separate the two sides.
By then Herediano had clearly been on top. They enjoyed 66 per cent possession and registered 11 corners to Alianza's single effort. The visitors were more accurate with their shooting — four shots on target compared to three — yet could only muster an equal number of blocked attempts. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging.
Alianza made several changes to steady the game. N. Rivera came on early at 18 minutes, followed by A. Murillo, M. Mier, K. Fuller, L. Menjivar and R. Leal in the second half. The match ended with two yellow cards — H. Osorio and M. Aguirre — both booked in the closing stages.
The result leaves Alianza with something to build on in their group campaign. Herediano had won their last outing against Saprissa and held Alajuelense before that, but they will need to be sharper if they are to progress. The scoreline reflects the balance of the match: one side created more, the other took their chance.