National defender, Guyana-born Aubrey David handed his Deportivo Saprissa an important one-goal advantage going into Wednesday’s second leg of the Costa Rica Clausura Primera Division competition.
This after David headed home the third and decisive goal from a free-kick in the second half to put the host 3-1 ahead against Herediano, before they held on for a 3-2 in the first-leg match at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma on Sunday night.
The 30-year-old David who has featured 50 times for the national senior team had to walk a cautious line in the contest after he picked up a tenth minute yellow-card.
Despite the setback, Saprissa took the lead eight minutes later through Daniel Colindres, but a minute before the half-time interval, Herediano drew level via Yedrick Ruiz.
Michael Barrantes restored Deportivo Saprissa lead in the 56th minute before David extended the margin to 3-1 with a downward header in the 64th minute.
But, five minutes from full-time, Herediano got a valuable second item in the first of the two-legged final thanks to Anthony Contreras to set up an interesting second-leg at their Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero on Wednesday night.
In the semifinals, Deportivo Saprissa, who are chasing a record 35th Clausura crown to equal their tally of Apertura titles got the better of bitter rivals, LD regular-season winners LD Alajuelense 6-5 on aggregate after two robust encounters.
In their first-leg semis, Saprissa ended the match with nine men but held on for a 4-3 home win before the second leg ended 2-2 with both clubs having a player sent off as well, to advance 6-5 over the two legs while Herediano edged Santos de Guapiles 2-1 at home before a goalless second-leg result.
In Kennesaw, Georgia, Aiden McFadden’s second goal of the game on a volley in second-half stoppage time earned Atlanta United II a 2-2 draw with T&T’s Andre Fortune Memphis 901 FC at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, extending the host’s undefeated run to four games in the United Soccer League Championship Division.
For Memphis, it was its first point of the new season.
Memphis produced the opening two serious opportunities, however, as the visitors looked to break quickly when they got possession.
Kadeem Dacres had the first, firing a low shot to the bottom-right corner from 20 yards but sharply denied by Atlanta’s Alec Kann, and the goalkeeper came up with an even bigger save to keep out Fortune after good work by Michael Salazar to create the chance five minutes later.
Out-of-favour national midfielder Leston Paul, a former captain of the national Under-17 and Under-20 FIFA World Cup teams was an unused substitute by Memphis.
At Charleston, South Carolina, T&T defender Leland Archer captained Charleston Battery and was cautioned in the 61st minute as they allowed a 2-0 half-time lead to slip in a 2-2 draw with New York Red Bulls II, at Patriots Point.