The 19^th round of the summer tournament ended with victories from the leader Perez Zeledon, along with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (LDA), Deportivo Saprissa, Club Sport Herediano, and Club Sport Cartagines (CSC). This means that the powerhouse football teams LDA, Saprissa, Herediano and CSC still have a shot at qualifying for the quarter finals.

The reigning league champions are looking better after their victory in the 100^th iteration of the all-time Tico classic against Saprissa. They scored two goals against second-place Santos from Guapiles at home, but the team from Alajuela did not really come together until the second half with Gabas and “El Matador” Alpizar scoring. They have won their last five games in a row, and they are now within 3 points of Saprissa and CSC -two teams that are also trying their best to advance.

Saprissa now holds 30 points along with CSC after a high scoring game against Belen at the National Stadium. The players from Belen opened the scoreboard early, but after that initial goal it essentially succumbed to the more powerful Saprissa. The Belen team, sponsored by Bridgestone, has practically no shot left at the quarter finals.

CSC won against Puntarenas by a margin of just one goal in game that was very slow paced until the end of the first half. The final score was 3-2 and CSC is now in fourth place. Puntarenas has no chance of advancing.

Herediano was an imposing team against the troubled Orion FC. The teams played at the Lair of the Purple Monster (Saprissa’s Stadium), where very few fans showed up to the match. The first goal came early in the game right from a corner kick by Jose Cancela. The goalkeeper from Orion was very busy the rest of the first half. After another early score in the second half, Herediano played very comfortably to the end.

Source: Everardo Herrera