Alajuelense opens Central American Cup title defense against Plaza Amador | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2025 Central American Cup continues with back-to-back defending champions LD Alajuelense against CD Plaza Amador in Group A on Thursday at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

The meeting presents the first encounter between the sides in an official setting.

Winners of the first two editions, LDA will kick off its title defense after qualifying with the best cumulative record in the Costa Rican First Division during the 2024-25 season. LD Alajuelense remains unbeaten across the initial two editions of the competition, boasting 14 wins and six draws.

Forward Diego Campos will aim to replicate his form from last season that earned him 2024 CCAC Best Player Award, presented by Scotiabank and Top Scorer Award, presented by Aramco. Campos was decisive throughout the campaign, totaling seven goal contributions with six goals and an assist.

La Liga enters the match after recently beginning the Torneo Apertura with a 2-1 win on the road against Sporting San José.

Plaza Amador is set for a historic first CCAC participation after clinching the Panamanian First Division Torneo Apertura 2025 title. The Panamanians are one of two debutant clubs in the 2025 edition.

Plaza is currently atop the Torneo Clausura 2025 standings with six points following wins in its opening fixtures of the season.

All-Time Series:

They will face each other for the first time in the Central American Cup.

For LD Alajuelense, two-time winners of the Central American Cup, this will be their second match against a Panamanian club in the tournament. In the 2023 edition, on Matchday 4 of Group D, they defeated Sporting San Miguelito 1-0 at the Estadio Rommel Fernández, with a goal from Alexander López.

Plaza Amador, meanwhile, will make their debut in the Central American Cup. In their previous appearances in Concacaf club competitions, they have faced Costa Rican clubs 9 times without earning a win. They suffered two defeats in the Scotiabank Concacaf League, one in the Concacaf Interclub Cup, and six losses and one draw in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The only draw was a 1-1 result against CS Herediano on Matchday 1 of Group G, August 4, 2016, in the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Nuevo Maracaná in Panama City (PAN). Sergio Ortega scored for Plaza Amador, and Yendrick Ruíz for the visitors.

LD Alajuelense has faced Panamanian opponents 20 times in Concacaf club competitions, with an overall record of W-16 D-3 L-1. This includes one win in the Central American Cup, three matches in the Scotiabank Concacaf League (W-2 D-1), four wins in the Concacaf Interclub Cup, and 12 matches in the Concacaf Champions Cup (W-9 D-2 L-1). Their only loss came in a 1-0 defeat to Sporting San Miguelito on Matchday 2 of Group 4, August 22, 2013, at Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City (PAN), with a goal from John Pretelt.