March 17 – Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense go into their home leg of their Champions Cup tie against Los Angeles FC tonight level on aggregate (1-1) but with the advantage of an away goal.
In the first round in LA last week Alajuelense weathered a barrage of LAFC attacks to achieve their draw.
At Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, they know they will have to take the game to LAFC who surely won’t be as profligate in front of goal.
Alejandro Bran (pictured top) gave Alajuelense the lead in the 44th minute with a stunning long range drive. It took until the 56th minute before the ever reliable Denis Bouanga equalized for the MLS.
Bouanga has scored 14 goals in the Champions Cup and with Korean superstat Son Heung-min alongside him has posed the kind of threat that makes LAFC one of the favourites for the competition.
But Alajuelense are no mugs. They have twice won the Champions Cup, the last time in 2004, and they have won the Concacaf Central American Cup in each of the last three seasons.
Even so LAFC will start as favourites to finish the job and they have a point to prove. Bran’s goal broke LAFC’s streak of 443 minutes in all competitions without conceding a goal. It was one of three shots Bran had on target against Hugo Lloris, the only Alajuelense player to hit the target.
“They defended with a lot of numbers,” LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “That’s what teams do and that’s going to be a challenge, but they do that because we’re good. That’s a credit to our team.”
Dos Santos, looked relaxed and confident in the pre-match press conference, speaking Spanish and clearly looking forward to the challenge. He referenced the Alajuelense history and that they will not go down without a fight.
“We have a lot of respect for Alajuelense. We know they are big team and they have a lot of history,” he said.
Alajuelense tactically set up in the first leg to limit Son’s space and destructive counter attack ability to open up defences.
“I think we were smart in being able to neutralize that and not give away any space,” Alajuelense head coach Óscar Ramirez said. “I think that was one of [our tactical] virtues. That’s why I’m telling you that the Costa Rica game is one where you also have to be very smart.”
Ramirez knows they will have to be smart again if they are to progress to the quarter finals. LAFC have made it to the last 16 four times previously, advancing to the quarter finals on each occasion.
The winners will play either Champions Cup holders Cruz Azul, or Monterrey in the next round.
Last 16, first leg: LAFC 1 LD Alajuelense 1
Second leg, March 17: LD Alajuelense vs LAFC, Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica, kick off 9pm (eastern)