After a two-month hiatus, futbol made its glorious return to Costa Rica on Tuesday.
The race for fourth remains the biggest talking point after Jornada 16. Saprissa solidified its place atop the table. La U did exactly the same at the bottom of it.
Below is the updated table and a look back at Jornada 16’s results.
Guadalupe 1-0 Limon
It took eight minutes for Costa Rica to see its first goal in over two months. Arturo Campos scored the opener for Guadalupe. It was enough for the club to secure its 24th point of the season.
Sheldon Harris made sure of that in the 46th minute.
His second yellow left Limon with 10 men. Up a man and a goal, Guadalupe was disinterested in pushing for a second. Limon never threatened, so it didn’t prove to be necessary.
Cartagines 0-2 Alajuelense
A muscle injury prevented Marcel Hernandez from starting for Cartagines. The attack suffered mightily as a result.
Alajuelense’s midfield trident of Alex Lopez, Dylan Flores and Bernald Alfaro proved to be too much for the hosts. Flores gave Alajuelense the lead in the 31st minute. Lopez delivered the final blow in the 61st.
The victory allowed Alajuelense to keep pace with Saprissa for first.
Grecia 1-0 Perez Zeledon
Grecia did just enough to secure three points against a disappointing Perez Zeledon side.
Jose Gabriel Vargas scored the winner in the 54th minute.
Three points were a must for Grecia, who now sit six points above the relegation zone.
La U 1-3 Santos
Shambolic defending and an own-goal sealed La U’s fate. The club will undoubtedly play in the second division next season.
Masterful service from Sterling Matarrita on dead balls proved to be the difference. Juan Diego Madrigal was the beneficiary of the first assist. Juan Pablo Fallas benefited from the second.
The only problem was he played for La U.
The own-goal gave Santos a 2-1 lead in the 63rd minute. Javon East put the final nail in La U’s coffin just eight minutes later.
San Carlos 0-1 Jicaral
Mother nature and the post hated San Carlos on Wednesday.
A torrential downpour at kickoff left the field slick and slippery. Pablo Arboine was unable to deal with it in the 30th minute. Under pressure from Jurguens Montenegro, Arboine took an unsuccessful touch and subsequently took the striker out.
He was given his marching orders, leaving San Carlos with 10 men.
Montenegro scored the winner in the 54th minute. Unable to get past Jussef Delgado and the posts he was defending, San Carlos fell deeper in the playoff picture. Jicaral sit one point behind Herediano in fourth.
Saprissa 1-0 Herediano
Herediano mollywhopped Saprissa 4-1 earlier in the season. Walter Centeno wasn’t going to let that happen twice.
The Saprissa manager adjusted his tactics, moving David Guzman to center back and starting Michael Barrantes in defensive midfield. Able to join the attack, Barrantes scored one of his signature bangers in the seventh minute. That was all Saprissa needed.
Herediano labored all night, but didn’t truly threaten Saprissa until the 90th minute.
Too little too late.
The victory drops Herediano out of the race for first. That battle will exclusively be fought between Saprissa and Alajuelense the rest of the way.
Team of the Jornada
| Position | Player | Team |
| GK | Kevin Ruiz | Grecia |
| LB | Facundo Zabala | Alajuelense |
| CB | Jeison Prendas | Guadalupe |
| CB | David Guzman | Saprissa |
| RB | Ricardo Blanco | Saprissa |
| CM | Michael Barrantes | Saprissa |
| CM | Bernald Alfaro | Alajuelense |
| LW | Sterling Matarrita | Santos |
| CAM | Alex Lopez | Alajuelense |
| RW | Freddy Alvarez | Jicaral |
| ST | Juergens Montenegro | Jicaral |
