Alajuelense vs. D.C. United
Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica
CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, first leg
Feb. 26, 8 pm ET (Fox Sports 2)
D.C. United begin their 2015 slate of competitive games with possibly one of the toughest right off the bat, as they head to Central America to take on Alajuelense in the first leg of a 2014-15 Champions League quarterfinal tie Thursday evening. D.C. is coming off a remarkable turnaround in 2014, in which they went from worst in MLS the previous season to first overall in the East, the best single-season reversal in league history. After emerging from CCL group play last fall as the top-overall seed, will D.C. be rewarded with a favorable tie against the Costa Rican side?
Like many of the top teams in MLS, D.C. didn’t make many moves in the offseason, mostly bringing in depth to supplement the roster. Veteran striker Jairo Arrieta may have a role to play in this series, especially given his experience against Alajuelense prior to his move to MLS. In addition, newcomers Markus Halsti and Michael Farfan could get an opportunity to play their first competitive minutes for the club.
As one of just two MLS teams to win the Champions League predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, in 1998, D.C. will be seeking to be the first MLS side to win the tournament in its current incarnation, and break the stranglehold Liga MX sides have held in recent years. However, Alajuelense also won the Champions Cup, so they’ll certainly be looking to move the title out of Mexico as well.
Alajuelense are one of the top teams in Costa Rica, but have been in mixed form lately. Though they currently sit second in the Costa Rican Primera table for the 2015 Verano season, they are entering the quarterfinal tie on a three-game winless streak, which includes a rivalry loss against powerhouse side Saprissa last weekend.
Despite Alajuelense’s recent missteps, they've actually been playing league matches (10 games under their belt) and should be nearing midseason fitness. For D.C., the question is whether the team will be able to hit the ground running. Though they dominated in the group stage last year and Alajuelense barely managed to qualify for the knockout round, months have passed, which makes United’s prospects difficult to gauge.
How they qualified:
- D.C.: Group 4 winner, seed No. 1 (4-0-0; 12 pts, 6 GF/1 GA)
- Alajuelense: Group 6 winner, seed No. 8 (1-3-0; 6 pts, 4 GF/3 GA)
The Opponent – What you need to know about Alajuelense
Coach: Oscar Ramirez (Costa Rica)
Position: 2nd in Costa Rican Primera division (5-3-2; 17 pts, 16 GF/11 GA; Last five games: L-L-D-W-W)
Best CCL/Champions' Cup finish: Winners (1986, 2004)
Star player: Jonathan McDonald
The 27-year-old forward is currently second in scoring in the Costa Rican Primera, with five goals through 10 games. McDonald played two seasons in Sweden (2011, 2012) with Kalmar before returning to Alajuelense. In addition, he played seven games for the Vancouver Whitecaps in their final Division II season.
You may recognize: Johnny Acosta
The defender, one of the “cinderellas” from Costa Rica’s World Cup squad, played in the Round of 16 win over Greece as a substitute, started the quarterfinal vs. the Netherlands and kept a clean sheet before the shootout loss. He scored his only international goal to date against the United States in Costa Rica’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying win in San José in Sept. 2013.
In addition, another defender, Porfirio Lopez, played in MLS with the Philadelphia Union in 2012. Since leaving Philly, Lopez rejoined Alajuelense and has been a regular fixture in the rojinegros’ lineup.
Possible XIs:
- D.C. (4-4-1-1): Hamid; Franklin, Boswell, Birnbaum, Kemp; DeLeon, Arnaud, Kitchen, Rolfe; Espindola, Pontius
- Alajuelense (4-2-3-1): Quesada; Peralta, Lopez, Gutierrez, Acosta; Calvo, Rodriguez; Alonso, McDonald, Matarrita; Ortiz
Why D.C. will win: Though they may not have full match fitness, they are entering the season with a team that remains largely intact and has experience playing together. Given Fabian Espindola’s suspension for the start of the MLS season, expect him to play a large role for D.C. for as long as the team remains in Champions League play. On their best day, D.C. certainly have enough to take down Alajuelense, but the question is how close to their best they’ll be in this series and how the road conditions will affect them.
- Find more D.C. news at DCUnited.com
Why Alajuelense will win: Of course, Alajuelense have been playing competitive games, which will give them a leg up. Add to that the first leg will be played at home. If they can catch D.C. unawares and get out to a multi-goal lead, they can really dampen their opponent’s prospects. However, Alajuelense will be dealing with two suspensions of their own, to starting goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton and defender Kevin Sancho. They’ll have to make adjustments, but the Costa Ricans have had time to figure out how to account for those losses.
