Club Sport Herediano secured a 1-0 victory over Club Sport Cartaginés in the seventh round of the Torneo Clausura 2026, strengthening their position at the top of the league with 16 points. The match took place at Estadio Carlos Alvarado in Santa Bárbara and was marked by an early goal and a temporary suspension due to a power outage.
The only goal came just 54 seconds into the game when Marcel Hernández assisted Daniel González, who scored his first goal in Costa Rica’s Primera División. González, 18, expressed visible excitement as his teammates joined him to celebrate.
Following the goal, Cartaginés increased their attacking efforts but were unable to break through Herediano’s defense. Herediano’s coach José Giacone emphasized defensive discipline throughout the match, with goalkeeper Dany Carvajal making key saves to preserve the lead.
The game was briefly suspended early in the second half after one of the stadium’s light towers lost power. Referee David Gómez halted play for twelve minutes until electricity was restored and play resumed.
Cartaginés had several chances to equalize, including shots from Cristopher Núñez and Johan Venegas that narrowly missed. Ricardo Márquez also hit the crossbar late in the match. Despite these opportunities, Herediano maintained their advantage until full time.
Before this fixture, both teams were tied on 13 points at the top of the standings. With this win, Herediano now leads outright. Cartaginés will shift focus to their upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup first-round match against Vancouver Whitecaps on February 18 at Estadio Rafael Fello Meza.
Herediano coach José Giacone said: “It is a very important match for us given our position in the table and our goals. We face an opponent that has been playing well and has as many points as we do. We respect them greatly but trust in our abilities at Carlos Alvarado.”
Cartaginés coach Amarini Villatoro commented: “It is a complicated and important match; both teams have done similar things so far. I think we arrive at a good moment—70% of our squad did not participate in Copa matches. It is an important week; we must go game by game because we know what is at stake with leadership.”
Ticket prices for Herediano home games range from ₡7,000 for general seating to ₡10,000 for shaded areas and can be purchased online via passline.com or at club offices.
Both teams entered this match following eliminations from domestic cup competition earlier in the week.
