SANTA BARBARA, Costa Rica (Interstat) — Brian Martinez scored in the third minute and San Carlos made the early strike stand up for a 1-0 victory over Herediano at Estadio Carlos Alvarado on Saturday. The road win gave San Carlos a 1-0 record in the competition and a 1-0 mark across all competitions. Herediano dropped to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 overall.

Martinez’s goal arrived before the match had settled into a rhythm. San Carlos pressed forward early, and the attacking sequence produced the only goal of the night. The third-minute finish changed the shape of the contest, forcing Herediano to chase an equalizer for more than 80 minutes. Martinez played 46 minutes before being substituted at halftime. His goal remained the difference. San Carlos did not need another score, but the early breakthrough allowed the visitors to choose when to push and when to protect their lead. The visitors played with a lead for nearly the entire match, and that advantage shaped every decision that followed. Herediano had to commit more players forward, while San Carlos could wait for chances on the counter or simply clear danger and reset.

Herediano, the home side, had plenty of time to respond but could not find a finishing touch. The hosts increased their urgency after the break and used substitutions to try to spark the attack. Quiros H. and Vargas S. entered at the 46th minute. Juarez E. and Leal R. came on at the 59th minute. Fuller K. followed at the 79th minute. Despite those changes, Herediano could not break through for a goal. The home side’s best efforts were kept out, and the final pass or final shot was missing when it mattered most. Herediano’s pressure grew in the second half, but San Carlos’s defenders stayed organized and forced the hosts to play from wider areas. The home crowd waited for an equalizer that never arrived.

San Carlos also made adjustments to protect the lead. Martinez B. was replaced at the 46th minute. Hernandez E. entered at the 64th minute, Pilarte J. at the 67th minute, and Venegas J. and Cerdas K. at the 75th minute. Those moves helped San Carlos manage the closing stages and preserve the clean sheet. The visitors kept their shape and limited Herediano’s space as the match moved toward its final minutes. San Carlos defended with numbers and slowed the pace when possible. The substitutions also allowed San Carlos to bring fresh legs into the midfield and defense, making it harder for Herediano to find a clear path to goal. San Carlos’s bench responded by helping the team hold possession in key moments and waste valuable time.

Discipline became a factor late. Cordoba R. of San Carlos received a yellow card in the 77th minute. Evans J. of San Carlos was booked in the 89th minute. In the 90th minute, Brown K. of Herediano was shown a yellow card. The late cautions reflected the growing tension as Herediano pushed numbers forward and San Carlos worked to run out the clock. The match ended with San Carlos protecting its narrow advantage and Herediano unable to produce an equalizer. The bookings interrupted the flow of the final stages, and San Carlos’s players took care to avoid any further trouble while Herediano tried to force one last chance.

The result marked an important start for San Carlos in the competition. The team’s record in this competition is now 1 win and 0 losses, and its record across all competitions is also 1 win and 0 losses. For Herediano, the competition record is now 0 wins and 1 loss, matching its overall record of 0 wins and 1 loss. The home defeat left Herediano still searching for its first points of the season. San Carlos next hosts Inter San Carlos in Primera División play on Oct. 13. The early goal proved enough for the visitors, who will take confidence from a road result in their opening match. Herediano, meanwhile, will look to correct its finishing before its next fixture.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Herediano 1, San Carlos 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Herediano with a 90 percent probability to win. Instead, San Carlos converted its early chance and left with the victory.