Cartaginés beat Herediano 1-0 in the sixth round of the Apertura tournament on Saturday night. The result leaves the hosts second with twelve points from six games, while Herediano remain tenth with just two.
And here's the thing — the goal came late enough to keep nerves taut. A. Hernandez found the net in the forty-third minute, and that proved to be the difference. By then the game had settled into a rhythm both sides could read.
Discipline became a talking point soon after. G. Montes and C. Montero each picked up two yellows, while E. Juarez received a pair as well. Tepa also went to the referee twice. Three of those players were sent for on the hour mark, suggesting the management was looking for fresh legs rather than protecting the lead.
The substitutions told their own story, with both managers making double changes. K. Fuller, K. Estrada and R. Cordero came on together for Cartaginés in the forty-sixth. Herediano brought on C. Montero twice in quick succession, then replaced E. Juarez in the sixty-fourth. G. M. Morera and H. Quiros also featured in pairs, while A. Hernandez and M. Moran were both withdrawn in the seventy-seventh and seventy-eighth minutes.
The statistics show a game where both teams had their moments. Cartaginés registered 117 attacks against 112 for Herediano, but shots accuracy was thin — 13 per cent for the hosts and 14 for the visitors. Each side managed just one shot on target. Possession sat at half and half, which is to be expected when neither team could break through.
The result tightens the gap between second and tenth. Cartaginés have won four of six and lost two, while Herediano have not found the back of the net in four of their last five outings. They will need to change something if they want to climb.
