Olimpia Hosts Cartaginés in Crucial CONCACAF Quarterfinal Rematch

Tegucigalpa, Honduras — CD Olimpia will host Cartaginés from Costa Rica on Thursday, September 25, in the first leg of the CONCACAF Central American Cup quarterfinals at the Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza Ivankovich. This match signifies a new chapter in their international rivalry, as it will be only the second official encounter between the two clubs, the first being a 3-0 win for Olimpia in 1989.

Coached by Eduardo Espinel, Olimpia comes into the match with confidence after finishing the group stage ahead of Real Estelí, Hércules, and Xelajú, with a draw against Águila. In contrast, Cartaginés started their tournament with mixed results but secured their quarterfinal spot after strong wins against Verdes and Independiente.

The teams currently share a similar performance in their domestic leagues, each achieving two wins and one draw in their last three matches. This matchup is set to cap the first leg round of the quarterfinals.

As both teams look to build on their recent successes, Cartaginés aims for a win with a two-goal margin to secure a spot in the semifinals and automatically qualify for the Champions Cup. The decisive encounter is scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. local time.

Olimpia leads the series after a 2-1 victory in the first leg, with goals from Michaell Chirinos and Jorge Benguché. They are riding a six-match unbeaten streak in the tournament, the longest in the club’s history. However, Cartaginés, managed by Andrés Carevic, will rely on players like Marco Ureña and Johan Venegas to overturn the deficit.

Fans can catch the game live on ESPN and via streaming on Disney+. The winner will move on to face Alajuelense in the semifinals.

Players from Cartaginés took time to walk on the field before the match, trying to acclimatize to the atmosphere as local fans began filling the stadium well ahead of kick-off. Approximately 3,000 supporters were present by 5 p.m.