SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – High-flying Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica takes its next step in the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League with a first leg Round of 16 date with Aguila of El Salvador on Wednesday night at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The three-time Concacaf champion heads into the fixture in scorching hot form after posting a 6-2 aggregate win over the Belmopan Bandits of Belize in the Preliminary Round.

The name on everyone’s lips in Costa Rica is 17-year-old FW Manfred Ugalde, who showed why he is a rising star in Concacaf after scoring three of the Monstruo Morado’s six goals over the two legs against Bandits.

Now a new opportunity will be presented against an Aguila side making its second SCL appearance.

Two years ago, the Cuscatleco club edged Real Esteli of Nicaragua in a penalty shootout to advance to the quarterfinals before valiantly falling 2-1 on aggregate to Panama’s Arabe Unido in the quarterfinals.

Aguila is off to a strong start in El Salvador’s 2019 Clausura with a 4W-0D-1L record, led by FW Javier Lezacno, who scored one of Aguila’s two goals in its maiden SCL campaign in 2017.

Match Officials:

R: John David Gantar (CAN)
AR1: Micheal Andrew Barwegen (CAN) AR2: Chantal Renee Boudreau (CAN)
4th official: Pierre-Luc Lauziere (CAN)