SANTA ANA, Costa Rica (Interstat) — Santa Ana scored in the 65th minute and made the goal stand, defeating Cariari Pococi 1-0 on Sunday at Estadio de Piedades.

The match remained scoreless through the opening half. Santa Ana controlled stretches of possession and gradually pushed the visiting side deeper into its own end. Cariari Pococi stayed compact and looked to counter, but the final pass in the attacking third was missing before the break. The opening stages were cautious, with neither team willing to commit too many players forward. Santa Ana sought to use the width of Estadio de Piedades and worked the ball into wide areas, while Cariari Pococi sat deeper and tried to spring forward on transitions. Santa Ana continued to probe after halftime, and the pressure produced the game’s only goal in the 65th minute. The home side protected that advantage for the remainder of the match.

Cariari Pococi searched for an equalizer after falling behind. The visitors moved more players forward and tried to stretch Santa Ana’s back line, but they could not produce a goal. Santa Ana dropped numbers behind the ball in the closing minutes and limited the space around its penalty area. When Cariari Pococi did advance, the home side cleared the danger and slowed the tempo. The visitors’ late push included more crosses and set pieces, but Santa Ana’s defenders dealt with each delivery. The final whistle confirmed a one-goal win for Santa Ana.

The result left Santa Ana with two wins and no losses in this competition and across all competitions. Cariari Pococi fell to no wins, two losses and one draw in the competition and in all competitions. The teams had met earlier this season, with Santa Ana taking that contest by a 2-1 margin. The rematch followed a tighter pattern, decided by a single second-half strike and a defense that did not yield again.

Santa Ana remained unbeaten in its young season, while Cariari Pococi continued to search for its first victory. The home side’s ability to turn a narrow lead into a win was the central story of the afternoon. Cariari Pococi had spells of possession but could not convert them into a goal. Santa Ana’s goal in the 65th minute separated the sides, and the home team’s game management kept the visitors from finding a response.

Estadio de Piedades hosted the match, with Santa Ana as the home team and Cariari Pococi as the visiting team. The game stayed balanced for long stretches, with both sides working through midfield and trying to create openings. Santa Ana found the decisive moment early in the second half of play, and Cariari Pococi could not answer. The single goal proved decisive in a match that offered few clear scoring chances. The visitors’ record in the competition and overall now includes one draw and two losses, while Santa Ana’s record includes two wins and no losses.

For Cariari Pococi, the defeat followed a draw and a loss in its previous results this season. Santa Ana built on a prior win in the head-to-head series and kept its record clean. The match did not produce a flurry of goals, and the single goal proved enough. Santa Ana’s defense held firm over the final 25 minutes of regulation, and Cariari Pococi’s attempts to find an equalizer fell short. Cariari Pococi remained winless in the competition and across all competitions after the final whistle.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Santa Ana 2, Cariari Pococi 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Santa Ana with a 62.9 percent probability to win. The actual result saw Santa Ana score one goal and Cariari Pococi score none, giving Santa Ana the victory at Estadio de Piedades.