Costa Rica Primera Division: Herediano 3 Cartagines 1 (agg 4-4, Herediano won 5-4 on pens)

Herediano defeated Cartagines 5-4 on penalties to retain the Costa Rican Primera Division’s Campeonato de Verano title on Saturday.

Cartagines had led 3-1 on aggregate following the first leg at home last week, but their hopes of defending that advantage suffered a
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major blow when defender Jose Villalobos Chang conceded a penalty and received his marching orders in the 36th minute.

Victor Nunez, who scored for Herediano in the first leg, made no mistake from the spot at Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero.

Nunez was on target again seven minutes into the second half, making it 2-0 in the match and 3-3 on aggregate.

With neither team able to force a breakthrough in the time remaining, the match went to extra-time, Yendrick Ruiz Gonzalez then putting Herediano ahead when he scored on 99 minutes.

The 10-man visitors were not to be denied so easily, as Andres Lezcano scored in the 109th minute to get it back to 3-1 in the game and 4-4 on aggregate.

But Cartagines were ultimately unable to end their 73-year wait for a top-flight title, with Herediano winning the resulting penalty shootout 5-4.