Motagua and Cartaginés played out a 1:1 draw in the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Central American Cup on Wednesday evening. Tepa opened the scoring for the hosts before D. Mesen's own goal levelled matters. By then the match had settled into a rhythm that neither side could break.
Tepa's strike in the eighteenth minute gave Motagua the lead, and they looked comfortable for a spell. The visitors responded with a measure of control, though their chances were few and far between. Mesen's deflection in the forty-second minute cancelled out the advantage, and the visitors had paid for a sloppy opening.
There were plenty of changes on both sides as the game wore on. Motagua brought on L. A. Olivas Salcedo in the sixteenth minute, while Cartaginés made two changes in the fifty-ninth. The home side continued to throw bodies forward, with J. Batiz appearing twice in quick succession.
The statistics told a story of movement without penetration. Motagua registered ninety-five attacks to Cartaginés's eighty-four, but only four shots found the target. The visitors managed three attempts on goal with a higher accuracy rate, yet could not find the net.
Both teams received two yellow cards each, with Motagua's A. Hernandez and J. Serrano among those cautioned. Cartaginés saw D. Gonzalez Hernandez and J. Macias booked. The match ended level, and both sides moved on with their group campaign.