MIAMI, Florida – A first ever meeting between Nicaragua’s Managua FC and legendary Salvadoran club CD FAS is on the docket on Tuesday night in the Preliminary Round of the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf League.

The two teams will square off at the historic Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador with a place in the Round of 16 on the line.

Managua clinched their spot in the 2020 SCL by virtue of their runner-up finishes in the 2019 Apertura and 2020 Clausura, while FAS are in the tournament thanks to earning the best aggregate record among non-champions during the 2019-20 season.

Managua’s lone previous appearance in the SCL came in the 2019 edition when the Pinoleros narrowly fell 3-2 on aggregate to eventual finalists Motagua of Honduras in the Round of 16.
Meanwhile, FAS will also be making their second SCL appearance, the first coming in 2018. 

The Salvadoran club produced one of the most memorable moments in tournament history in that 2018 SCL by scoring a goal in the final seconds to eliminate Costa Rica’s Perez Zeledon 3-2 on aggregate in the Round of 16, before bowing out to Panama’s Arabe Unido in the quarterfinals.

The match-up marks the third meeting between teams from Nicaragua and El Salvador in the tournament, and history shows that there is little margin between the two.

In the 2017 SCL, Aguila (SLV) emerged victorious 4-3 from a penalty shootout with Real Esteli (NCA) after a 1-1 draw on aggregate. Two years later in the 2019 Preliminary Round, a tie-breaking away goal was enough to push Santa Tecla past Real Esteli after a 2-2 aggregate finish.

Spanish striker Pablo Gallego, who finished second in the scoring chart in the 2020 Nicaraguan Clausura with eight goals, will lead the Managua attack. As for FAS, FW Raul Penaranda will be the man to watch. The Colombian scored four goals in the 2019 SCL as a member of Alianza (SLV).

Kick-off is set for 10PM ET.