Saprissa secured a 3:2 victory over Cartaginés in the fourth round of the Apertura phase of the Primera División on Saturday evening. The home side took control early and held firm despite a spirited response from the visitors, moving closer to the summit of the table with the three points.
J. Brenes opened the scoring in the twelfth minute and added a second shortly after, giving Saprissa a commanding start. Cartaginés responded quickly, with A. Hernandez and D. Lopez finding the net in consecutive minutes at the other end. Brenes struck twice more before halftime, extending his personal tally and keeping the hosts ahead.
The second half saw both managers reshuffle their lines. Cartaginés brought on D. Lopez and A. Mora in quick succession, while Saprissa introduced G. Torres and others to steady the game. B. Hernandez pulled one back for the visitors in the seventy-sixth minute and added a second the following minute, setting up a tense finale.
Saprissa regained the lead through C. Barahona, who scored twice in quick succession near the end of the match to seal the result. The home side had 55 per cent of possession and registered four shots on target from nine attempts off target, while Cartaginés managed three shots on target from three attempts off target.
The result leaves Saprissa top of the standings after six games, sitting on 15 points with five wins and one defeat. Cartaginés remain in third place on 12 points, having won four and lost two of their opening fixtures.