CARTAGO, Costa Rica (Interstat) — Cartagines scored twice inside the opening 19 minutes and added a late third to beat visiting San Carlos 3-0 on Sunday at Estadio José Rafael Fello Meza in Cartago. The home side controlled the match from the early stages and kept San Carlos scoreless, securing the result in front of its home support. Cartagines improved its position in the competition with a complete attacking performance and a defense that held firm through the closing minutes. San Carlos, the visiting team, finished without a goal and could not answer the early pressure. The match was a competition fixture played in Cartago. Cartagines finished the match with three goals and a clean sheet.

A. Hernandez gave Cartagines the lead in the 10th minute, finishing the first clear chance of the match. Diego Mesen doubled the advantage in the 19th minute, giving the home side a two-goal cushion before the midway point of the first half. San Carlos tried to respond and had spells of possession, but Cartagines maintained the upper hand and limited the visiting side’s best opportunities. Cartagines put the match out of reach in the 86th minute with its third goal of the afternoon, rounding out a victory that reflected its advantage in the final third.

The two-goal lead gave Cartagines control at halftime, and San Carlos returned for the second half needing a response. Cartagines continued to protect its advantage and limited San Carlos’s chances to get back into the match. The home side’s third goal in the 86th minute removed any remaining doubt, and the closing stages were marked by the late red card rather than a change in the score. San Carlos could not find a response in the second half.

The match grew physical at times, and the disciplinary record showed the intensity that developed. San Carlos’s C. Martinez received a yellow card in the 14th minute. Cartagines’s C. Barahona was cautioned in the 41st minute, and L.A. Olivas Salcedo received a yellow card in the 44th minute. San Carlos picked up another yellow card in the 61st minute. In the first minute of stoppage time, Cartagines was reduced to 10 players after a red card, but the late dismissal did not change the outcome.

San Carlos entered the match looking to build on recent results in the competition. The visiting side had beaten Saprissa 2-1, drawn with Sporting FC 3-3, lost to Inter San Carlos 2-1 and beaten Herediano 1-0 in its previous four contests. Cartagines had drawn with Olimpia 2-2, lost to Herediano 3-1, beaten Olimpia 1-0, beaten Saprissa 1-0, beaten Puntarenas FC 3-1 and lost to Sporting FC 3-1 in its previous six matches across all competitions. The home side carried that form into the match on Sunday and produced the decisive goals needed to secure the win.

The result moved Cartagines to 3 wins and 2 losses in this competition and 4 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw across all competitions. San Carlos is now 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw in this competition and 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw across all competitions. Cartagines’s home victory added to a season that has included success in multiple competitions, while San Carlos remained level in overall results after the road defeat. The match was played in Cartago at Estadio José Rafael Fello Meza.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cartagines 1, San Carlos 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cartagines with an 82.3 percent probability to win. Cartagines had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.75, and the total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.