Video Credit: CONCACAF.com
It only took six minutes late in the game for Mexican league champions Club America to score three goals and practically wrap up the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) quarterfinal series against Costa Rican champions Saprissa with a 3-0 win on the road.
“We knew it was going to be very complicated, that they have a good team and that they get stronger at home with their fans,” said second half substitute Rubens Sambuez who assisted two of the three goals in the night. “The idea was to absorb the pressure that they had with their fans. We were able to do that in the first half. We struggled a little in the second half but the team never got desperate and the goals eventually came.”
The stage was set for a historic day in Costa Rica. The most successful and reigning champions club Saprissa hosted the most successful and reigning Mexican league champions. The fact that ‘Los Ticos’ advanced further than ‘El Tri’ in last summer’s FIFA World Cup also had the Costa Ricans believing that they could top the Mexicans.
A sell out crowd at the Ricardo Saprissa never stopped cheering, booing, and pressuring the away players as well as the referee in the typical Central American hostile environment that national teams face.
The first half was a midfield war. Both teams looked to recuperate the ball as fast as possible. Many fouls and yellow cards had to be issued. Tempers flared and the crowd drew even more rowdy.
In the second half the home side fired everything at Club America. The opening 10-15 minutes was relentless pressure on the visitor’s goal. Lack of finishing on the final touch by the Saprissa players as well as some heroic goalkeeping by Moises Muñoz kept the game 0-0.
“I think it was a very intense game, on both sides,” said Club America manager Gustavo Matosas in the post game press conference. “We had some lack of concentration in the beginning of the second half. But then the team reacted properly and we were able to convert the three goals.”
It only took six minutes for the game to be turned around. Matosas – who had sent in a starting eleven with a mix of first team starters and reserve players – sent out more experienced center-back Pablo Aguilar, Rubens Sambueza, and Mexican National Team striker Oribe Peralta as his three substitutions in the second half.
Sambueza sent in a precise left-footed cross from the right side of the field to find the run of Aguilar who had joined in the attack from his central defending position. Aguilar all alone in front of goal had no mistake with his header to open the scoring.
Two minutes later Carlos Darwin Quintero looked to take too long in front of goal to shot and lost his shot angle. The Colombian realized this and laid the ball off to Peralta in the center of the box for him to have a powerful shot that blasted through the goalkeeper’s legs and into the back of the net.
With two goals against in two minutes the Saprissa players seemed to be knocked out. It left big gaps in its defensive line and the visitors took advantage. Sambueza once again sent a long through ball down the middle to Peralta who was left on side. Peralta took the ball all the way and slotted it past the goalkeeper as he tried to come off his line to cut off the shot angle.
With the 3-0 win and the return leg set for next Tuesday at the mythical Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, things do not look positive for the Costa Ricans. All though America players say they shouldn’t be over confident just yet.
“It was a very complicated game, the result does not reflect what happened on the field,” said Oribe Peralta following his brace that led his side to victory. “There is still 90 minutes to be played, and anything can happen. We are focused on our goals and that is how we will advance to the next phase.”
