Puntarenas FC and Sporting played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Copa tournament semifinal on March 25 at the Puente Piedra Stadium, which serves as Sporting’s home ground.
The match leaves the question of who will advance to the final unresolved, with both teams still having an opportunity in the return leg. The tie remains open after a balanced contest where each side sought to gain an advantage.
Renzo Carballo put Puntarenas ahead in the 65th minute with a header following a pass from Ulises Segura. However, Joshua Navarro equalized for Sporting in the 86th minute, ensuring that neither team would carry an advantage into the second leg. The deciding match is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. at Miguel “Lito” Pérez Stadium in Puntarenas.
The other finalist will be determined from the series between Saprissa and Municipal Liberia. Their first encounter takes place Wednesday at Edgardo Baltodano Briceño Stadium in Liberia, with the return fixture set for Sunday at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium.
If either semifinal ends level on aggregate, extra time will not be played; instead, teams will proceed directly to penalty kicks to determine who advances. Alajuelense was last year’s cup champion but was eliminated by Municipal Liberia in this season’s quarterfinals, leaving Saprissa, Municipal Liberia, Puntarenas FC, and Sporting competing for this year’s title.
Winners of both semifinals will meet on April 15 for a single-match final at Edgardo Baltodano Briceño Stadium at 7 p.m. During late March, these Copa matches are among the few national games being played as Costa Rica’s national team prepares for friendlies against Jordan on March 27 and Iran on March 31.
