LD Alajuelense

Match report

Alajuelense claimed a 2-1 victory over Escorpiones Belén in the second round of the Apertura campaign on Saturday night. The result leaves the hosts fifth in the table with 11 points from seven games, while the visitors remain ninth on four points.

The opening half offered little excitement until the 16th minute when C. Borges stepped up for a penalty and missed. By then the match had settled into a cautious rhythm, neither side willing to commit too many men forward. To be fair, both sides knew the stakes of an early-season fixture.

The second half brought a different tempo. A. Hernandez came on at 72 minutes and immediately made his mark, finding the net to put Alajuelense ahead. R. Lopez doubled the lead just three minutes later with a well-taken effort. And here's the thing about football — you never know when the game will turn.

But Escorpiones refused to go quietly. A. Gamboa struck in the 90th minute plus five to set up a tense finale. The visitors pushed for an equaliser, but Alajuelense's defence held firm through the closing stages.

The statistics tell a familiar story. Alajuelense enjoyed 60 per cent possession and registered 127 attacks compared to 70 for the away side. Four shots on target yielded two goals for the hosts, while Escorpiones managed just one shot on target from their efforts.

The result extends Alajuelense's unbeaten run to three matches, following victories against Jelaux and Sporting San José alongside a draw with Herediano. Escorpiones' poor form continues with five defeats in seven outings, a run that suggests they have work to do before the winter break.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 60 – 40

Shots on target 4 – 1

Shots off target 4 – 2

Attacks 127 – 70

✗ 16' C. Borges — Penalty missed ⇄ 46' C. Perez — Substitution 🟨 55' Juanpi — Yellow card ⇄ 60' A. Zaldivar — Substitution ⇄ 63' F. Chaves — Substitution ⇄ 71' R. Montiel — Substitution ⚽ 72' A. Hernandez — Goal ⚽ 75' R. Lopez — Goal 🟨 82' Y. Molina — Yellow card ⇄ 82' G. Fonseca — Substitution ⚽ 90+5' A. Gamboa — Goal ⇄ 90+7' A. Hernandez — Substitution

Match events

16' 0:0 LD Alajuelense Penalty missed C. Borges assist: C. Borges
46' 0:0 LD Alajuelense Substitution C. Perez off: Juanpi
55' 0:0 LD Alajuelense Yellow card Juanpi
60' 0:0 LD Alajuelense Substitution A. Zaldivar off: R. Cisneros
63' 0:0 Escorpiones Belén Substitution F. Chaves off: A. Hidalgo
71' 0:0 Escorpiones Belén Substitution R. Montiel off: J. Serrano
72' 1:0 LD Alajuelense Goal A. Hernandez
75' 1:1 Escorpiones Belén Goal R. Lopez
82' 1:1 LD Alajuelense Yellow card Y. Molina
82' 1:1 Escorpiones Belén Substitution G. Fonseca off: A. Jimenez
90+5' 2:1 LD Alajuelense Goal A. Gamboa
90+7' 2:1 LD Alajuelense Substitution A. Hernandez off: J. Lucumi

Statistics

60 Possession, % 40

4 Shots on target 1

4 Shots off target 2

127 Attacks 70

9 Corners 1

7 Free kicks 14

1 Offsides 0

2 Yellow cards 0

0 Red cards 0

6 Goal kicks 12

26 Throw-ins 17

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