T&T defender Aubrey David got the opener as Deportivo Saprissa kept its hopes of qualification to the semifinals of the Costa Rica Primera Division Clausura alive with a 2-1 win over LD Alajuense at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose, Costa Rica on Wednesday night.
With the scores locked at 0-0, the Guyana-born David flung his body mid-air and redirected a left-footed centre from Mariano Nestor Torres for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
Five minutes before the half-time whistle Andy Reyes’ right-footed effort from the top right corner of the 18-yard box took a wicked deflection off an Alajuelense defender before looping over goalkeeper Leonel Moreira and into the goal for a 2-0 cushion.
Deportivo Saprissa, the record 36-times league champion managed to keep Alajuelense at bay in the second half to end a four-match losing streak.
The win, only its fifth win in 17 matches this season saw Saprissa climb to ninth on the 12-team table with 19 points, two more seven adrift of Herediano, who currently occupies the fourth and final semifinal playoff spot.
Despite the loss, its first in five matches Alajuelense stayed top of the table with five rounds of matches left with 32 points, four more than Cartagines while San Carlos is third with 27.
Guadalupe sits fifth with 26, two ahead of Grecia followed by Sporting San Jose with 23 and Perez Zeledon with 22 in the eighth spot.
In their remaining matches, Saprissa faces Zeledon (May 1), Guadalupe (May 4), Jicaral Sercoba (May 8), San Jose (May 11), and Grecia (May 15).