Cartaginés Secures Crucial Win Against Santa Ana in Key Matchup
Mauro Quiroga's goal propels Cartaginés closer to playoff contention while Santa Ana faces relegation concerns.
On March 27, 2025, Cartaginés achieved a significant victory in their quest for playoff qualification by defeating local rivals Santa Ana at the Piedades Stadium in Santa Ana.
The win marks a vital step for Cartaginés, who has struggled to secure away victories in recent tournaments.
This marks their first win on the road in over a month, after a prior away match ended in a 1-1 draw against Santos.
The decisive moment of the match came from Mauro Quiroga, who scored his fourth goal of the tournament in ten appearances.
Quiroga's goal came from a corner taken by Cristopher Núñez, which was directed to the back post by Randall Cordero.
Quiroga was positioned perfectly, allowing him to control the ball before striking it with his left foot into the net.
Cartaginés employed a pragmatic approach to the game, focusing on securing their single goal rather than pursuing an expansive style of play often favored by their coach, Andrés Carevic.
The team's strategy proved effective, as they maintained their lead until the final whistle.
In contrast, Santa Ana struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match.
Despite controlling possession for parts of the game, they lacked the incisive attacking moves characteristic of players like Geancarlo Castro and Mauricio Villalobos.
As the game progressed, Santa Ana failed to create clear scoring opportunities, coming up against a disciplined Cartaginés defense that effectively nullified their attacks.
The match featured few clear chances on goal.
One notable moment occurred in the 15th minute when Marco Ureña evaded three defenders but sent his shot narrowly wide.
Other attempts were either easily gathered by the goalkeepers or off-target.
As the match approached its final stages, a significant turning point occurred with the sending off of Nixon Rocha in the 79th minute for a foul on Cordero.
The red card further compounded Santa Ana's challenges, as they were left with ten men and needed to push for an equalizer against a well-organized Cartaginés side.
With this victory, Cartaginés remains in contention for the playoff positions, while Santa Ana's position becomes increasingly precarious as they face the threat of relegation, lingering at the bottom of the aggregated standings.
Cartaginés is set to face league leaders Puntarenas in their next outing, which is anticipated to be a pivotal match in their playoff aspirations.
The win marks a vital step for Cartaginés, who has struggled to secure away victories in recent tournaments.
This marks their first win on the road in over a month, after a prior away match ended in a 1-1 draw against Santos.
The decisive moment of the match came from Mauro Quiroga, who scored his fourth goal of the tournament in ten appearances.
Quiroga's goal came from a corner taken by Cristopher Núñez, which was directed to the back post by Randall Cordero.
Quiroga was positioned perfectly, allowing him to control the ball before striking it with his left foot into the net.
Cartaginés employed a pragmatic approach to the game, focusing on securing their single goal rather than pursuing an expansive style of play often favored by their coach, Andrés Carevic.
The team's strategy proved effective, as they maintained their lead until the final whistle.
In contrast, Santa Ana struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match.
Despite controlling possession for parts of the game, they lacked the incisive attacking moves characteristic of players like Geancarlo Castro and Mauricio Villalobos.
As the game progressed, Santa Ana failed to create clear scoring opportunities, coming up against a disciplined Cartaginés defense that effectively nullified their attacks.
The match featured few clear chances on goal.
One notable moment occurred in the 15th minute when Marco Ureña evaded three defenders but sent his shot narrowly wide.
Other attempts were either easily gathered by the goalkeepers or off-target.
As the match approached its final stages, a significant turning point occurred with the sending off of Nixon Rocha in the 79th minute for a foul on Cordero.
The red card further compounded Santa Ana's challenges, as they were left with ten men and needed to push for an equalizer against a well-organized Cartaginés side.
With this victory, Cartaginés remains in contention for the playoff positions, while Santa Ana's position becomes increasingly precarious as they face the threat of relegation, lingering at the bottom of the aggregated standings.
Cartaginés is set to face league leaders Puntarenas in their next outing, which is anticipated to be a pivotal match in their playoff aspirations.
