LD Alajuelense extended their winning streak on Tuesday night, overcoming an early deficit to defeat Guadalupe FC 3-1 at the Estadio Colleya Fonseca. While the hosts briefly flirted with an upset, the individual quality of the “Manudos” proved too much to handle over 90 minutes. The victory cements Alajuelense’s position at the summit of the Clausura table and marks their second consecutive win fueled by a late-game surge.
Match recap
The match started with a shock for the league leaders as Guadalupe took advantage of a slow start from the Alajuelense backline. In the 14th minute, Jossimar Pemberton broke free on the counter to slot home the opening goal, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Alajuelense didn’t panic, however, and eventually leveled the score in the 38th minute when Angel Zaldívar rose highest to meet a corner kick, sending the sides into the locker rooms tied at 1-1.
The second half belonged entirely to the visitors. Alajuelense took the lead for the first time in the 74th minute thanks to a moment of pure individual brilliance from the midfield by former Loon Alejandro Bran. With Guadalupe reeling, the “Manudos” added an insurance goal in the 86th minute through Ronaldo Cisneros, who clinicaly finished a low cross to make it 3-1. Despite a late push from the hosts, Alajuelense managed the final minutes with ease to secure a deserved three points on the road.
Bran’s performance
Bran was the architect of the Alajuelense comeback, playing the full 90 minutes and scoring the goal that shifted the momentum for good.
- The goal: In the 74th minute, Bran picked up the ball nearly 30 yards out. Seeing the space open up, he unleashed a signature “Loon” strike—a low, powerful drive that skipped off the turf and past the diving goalkeeper into the bottom corner. The goal not only gave Alajuelense the lead but effectively broke the spirit of the Guadalupe defense.
- Midfield engine: Bran’s distribution was the backbone of the Alajuelense attack. He consistently linked the defense to the front line, finishing the night with a pass accuracy north of 90%.
- Tactical presence: Even after scoring, Bran remained disciplined in his defensive duties, helping to protect the lead by cutting off passing lanes and winning back possession four times in the final 10 minutes.
Stats
- Minutes played: 90′
- Goals: 1 (74′)
- Pass accuracy: 91%
- Key passes: 3
- Interceptions: 2
- Distance covered: 11.2 km
Up next
LD Alajuelense returns home to the Morera Soto this Sunday, Feb. 1, for a high-profile encounter against Herediano. Meanwhile, Guadalupe FC travels to face Municipal Pérez Zeledón as they look to recover from this mid-week loss.
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