Club Sport Herediano secured a 2-1 victory over Puntarenas FC in the fifth round of the Torneo Clausura 2026, regaining the top position in the standings with 12 points. The match took place at Estadio Carlos Alvarado in Santa Bárbara.
Herediano dominated much of the game and took the lead in the 31st minute with a goal from Rándall Leal, who was making his debut as a starter for the team after joining from Major League Soccer. Marcel Hernández, a key player for Herediano, contributed both an assist and a goal, scoring just before halftime to make it 2-0. This marked Hernández’s third goal of the tournament and his 152nd in Costa Rican football.
Coach José Giacone’s team sought to recover after their previous defeat at Edgardo Baltodano Stadium in Liberia. The win against Puntarenas provided relief and kept them ahead of Cartaginés, who are set to play Sporting later this week.
Puntarenas FC faced several challenges leading into the match due to injuries that sidelined key players including Wilber RenterĂa, Doryan RodrĂguez, Andrey Mora, Alexis CundumĂ, JosĂ© Pablo CĂłrdoba, Berny Segura, and Raheem Cole. Despite these absences, they improved offensively in the second half under coach CĂ©sar AlpĂzar but struggled with finishing chances.
Renzo Carballo scored his first goal for Puntarenas early in the second half to reduce Herediano’s lead to 2-1. However, further attempts by Puntarenas were stopped by Herediano goalkeeper Dany Carvajal.
In terms of standings, Puntarenas remains seventh with 23 points in the overall table. They are now closely followed by San Carlos (22 points), while Sporting and Guadalupe each have 17 points.
The match was broadcast on FUTV and tickets were available both online and at the stadium offices.
After this result, Herediano continues its pursuit of first place as one of its main objectives for this tournament season. Both teams will look ahead to upcoming matches as they seek to improve their positions in the league.
