National Soccer
Antigua completes its work and is in the semifinals: This is how the keys to Clausura 2024 will be played
After Antigua GFC’s victory over Xinabul Huehue, the places for the semifinals of Clausura 2024 were completed.
Romario Da Silva was key to the avocado triumph. (Free Press Photo: Antigua GFC)
The Pensativo stadium was the scene of Antigua GFC’s classification to the semifinals of the 2024 Clausura Tournament.
The colonial team, led by Guatemalan coach Dwight Pezzarossi, continued the victory they achieved in the first leg in the state of Los Cuchumatanes and secured their classification to the round of the four best in Guatemalan soccer after winning 2 goals to 1 against the X.
From the beginning of the match, Antigua gave the initiative, since the team that needed to score was the visiting team. Thus, the Dwight Pezzarossi concentrated their efforts on trying to take advantage of the spaces that the X would inevitably leave behind.
The strategy paid off since in the 20th minute the Brazilian Romario Da Silva starred in a great individual play that ended with the ball in the back of the Sicán goal after a deflection by Mathius Gaitán.
As if going 2-0 down in the series was not enough, in the 24th minute Xinabajul was left with ten men after the expulsion of Widvin Tebalán. The defender, already cautioned since the 7th minute, knocked down Cristian Hernández who was facing his goal, Telabán touched him down and referee Walter López interpreted this as enough to show him the second yellow card.
From that moment on, Xinabajul, between the 25th and 30th, fell into a series of fouls in which up to four of its players ended up painted yellow.
After finding themselves with one more man on the field, Antigua took a step forward and took control of the match and if Xinabajul did not receive any more in the first half it was due to the great performance of goalkeeper Estuardo Sicán who safely rejected two balls that were destined for the bottom of the goal: at 33′ he stood up to Romario Da Silva and sent the ball to the corner kick and at 42′ he denied Cristian Hernández the goal with a two-handed save.
In the second half, Romario Da Silva sealed the series with a goal in the 56th minute. The goal of honor was scored by Tomás Agustín Pizarro in the 68th minute.
With this result Antigua advanced to the semifinals and will face Mixco at the Santo Domingo stadium next Wednesday, May 1 at 3 p.m.; while Communications and Municipal will play the 329th and 330th editions of the national classics. The duel between reds and creams will be on Thursday, May 2 at 8 p.m. at the Cementos Progreso stadium.
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