CS Cartaginés stumbled at home on Thursday night, suffering a disappointing 2–0 defeat to Sporting FC at the Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza Ivankovich. Despite the presence of veteran forward Johan Venegas leading the line, the hosts were unable to break down a disciplined Sporting defense and were punished by two clinical counter-attacks in the second half.
Match recap
After a scoreless first half where possession was largely shared, Sporting FC seized control after the break. The deadlock was broken in the 58th minute when Giancarlo González rose highest to head home a corner kick.
Cartaginés pushed forward in search of an equalizer, leaving gaps at the back. Sporting capitalized in the 82nd minute to seal the victory. A swift transition caught the home defense disorganized, allowing Sporting’s winger to slot past the keeper and silence the home crowd. The result leaves Cartaginés searching for answers as their home form continues to be a concern in the Clausura campaign.
Venegas’s performance
It was a frustrating evening for Johan Venegas, who found himself isolated for long stretches against a well-organized Sporting backline.
- Service struggles: Venegas was often forced to drop into midfield to touch the ball, as the link-up play between the Cartaginés midfield and attack was non-existent.
- Missed opportunities: His best chance came in the 70th minute. Finding a pocket of space near the penalty spot, he attempted a snapshot that lacked power and was easily gathered by the Sporting goalkeeper.
- Defensive work: To his credit, Venegas remained active defensively, tracking back to help win possession, but his offensive influence was effectively neutralized by Sporting’s physical center-back pairing.
Stats (via Fotmob)
- Minutes played: 90′
- Goals: 0
- Shots (on target): 2 (1)
- Pass accuracy: 78%
- Fotmob Rating: 6.2
Up next
CS Cartaginés will look to regroup when they travel to face Pérez Zeledón on Sunday, Feb. 1. Meanwhile, Sporting FC returns home to host Santos de Guápiles.
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