Hernán Medford, coach of Deportivo Saprissa, said on April 23 that he was pleased and relieved following his team’s 5-0 victory over Guadalupe.
The result comes as Saprissa prepares for an important match against Puntarenas to secure second place in the standings and home advantage in the semifinals. Medford said the team’s strong performance gives them confidence moving forward.
In a press conference, Medford addressed several topics related to the game and upcoming challenges. “We are finishing well. The big difference compared to other matches is that we were more effective and it gives us confidence for the semifinals. The boys played a good game, understood how to finish, we were effective and won quite well,” Medford said.
He added that scoring efficiency can be unpredictable but was satisfied with his squad’s offensive output: “It’s hard to say why this happens; even the greatest players miss chances. The problem is when you don’t create opportunities, but we had more than 20 shots today and were effective.” Regarding preparations for facing Puntarenas, he stated: “We are going there to keep second place so we can close at home in the semifinal. We will go all out for victory.”
Medford also discussed team motivation after such a decisive win: “Winning 5-0 helps motivate the team; we’re happy but haven’t won anything yet. We have to go Sunday and win again.” He emphasized teamwork by saying, “What’s important is that everyone understands what we’re doing tactically—there’s healthy competition for every spot on the team.” On potential World Cup call-ups for Tomás Rodríguez and Fidel Escobar, he noted their efforts and leadership qualities.
Looking ahead, Medford stressed focusing first on Puntarenas before thinking about semifinals: “First we must think about Puntarenas then focus on semifinals—a tough match awaits us Sunday; we’ll look for another good result with the same attitude.”
