An early red card once again factored into a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, this time contributing to Saprissa’s 1-0 win over Olimpia on Thursday. The goal came about 13 minutes after Boniek Garcia was sent off for an off-the-ball incident that occurred in the 10th minute.
Saprissa Vs. Olimpia, CONCACAF Champions League: Saprissa Wins First Leg 1-0
Saprissa was able to capitalize on a corner kick when Armando Alonso was able to strike a volley from about 12 yards out and beat the goalkeeper inside the near post. Although Olimpia managed to mount several strong challenges in the first half, Saprissa was able to assert their dominance in the second half.
Although the official possession statistics said Saprissa only held the ball 52 percent of the time, the second half seemed particularly lopsided. Most of the match seemed to be played in Olimpia’s end and any opportunities they had were off counter-attacks. Saprissa ended the match with nine shots, five of them on goal, while Olimpia forced Victor Bolivar into just two saves and just one in the second half.
Olimpia heads back to Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino on March 3. With the away-goal rule in effect, they’ll likely need a shutout to secure a place in the semifinals.
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