Motagua and Cartaginés played to a goalless draw on Thursday night in the third round of the 2025 Copa Centroamericana, marking the debut of Spanish coach Javier López on the Motagua bench. The result leaves Motagua atop Group C with seven points but without sealing a direct passage to the quarterfinals. The Honduran club will have a bye next week in the Centroamericana and will finish the group stage with a trip to Costa Rica to face Saprissa.
Key moments and turning points
– The early pressure from Motagua yielded a near goal as Cristopher Núñez fired from a tight angle, the shot brushing the post.
– Motagua created several chances in the first half, with a number of efforts blocked or saved by Cartaginés goalkeeper Briceño.
– In the closing minutes of the first half, Motagua’s best opportunity came when Padilla Discua headed a cross narrowly over the bar.
– In the second half, Motagua continued to push, but Cartaginés’ defense held firm and neither side could break the deadlock.
– In the 84th minute, Wilmar Jordán entered the game for Maicol Cabrera as part of Motagua’s tactical tweaks.
– Card bookings: yellow cards shown to Luis Santamaría (Motagua) and Everaldo Rubio (Cartaginés), among others, as the match stayed tight.
– At 63 minutes, Rodrygo Gómez left the field due to an injury and was replaced by Jonathan Núñez.
– Other changes: Jefryn Macías and Luis Santamaría came on for Motagua in the 73rd minute as part of further adjustments.
Starting lineups and notable changes
– Motagua’s starting XI: Luis Ortiz (goal), Sebastián Cardozo, Marcelo Santos, Cristopher Meléndez, Ricky Zapata, Padilla Discua, Denis Meléndez, Jorge Serrano, Rodrigo Gómez, Carlos Mejía, Maicol Cabrera.
– The Spanish coach Javier López made his debut, opting to start with Luis Ortiz in goal and making personnel adjustments, including a shift that sent Marlon Licona to the bench in favor of Ortiz.
– Substitutions: Wilmar Jordán came on in the 84th minute for Maicol Cabrera; Rodrygo Gómez was substituted out in the 63rd minute due to injury, with Jonathan Núñez taking his place; additional changes occurred in the 73rd minute (Jefryn Macías and Luis Santamaría on for Padilla Discua and Meléndez).
Context and extra notes
– Cartaginés, coached by Argentine Andrés Carevic, featured Honduran players Marcelo Pereira (defender) and Jesús Antonio Bernárdez Bátiz (extremo ofensivo) in their lineup.
– Group context: In the same group, CAI of Panama defeated Verdes FC of Belize 3-1, earning their first three points and leaving Belizean side Verdes eliminated from contention.
– Motagua’s next and final group game will be away at Saprissa in Costa Rica, with the aim of clinching a direct route to the quarterfinals.
Why this matters
– The result reinforces Motagua’s position at the top of Group C, but it also highlights that a direct quarterfinal qualification was not secured in López’s first competitive match in charge. The team showed both offensive intent and resilience, leaving them positioned to finish the group phase strongly in the last game.
Summary
– Motagua, under their new Spanish coach Javier López, drew 0-0 with Cartaginés in a competitive Copa Centroamericana clash. Motagua remains leaders of Group C with seven points, but the draw means no immediate direct qualification to the quarterfinals. With a bye next week and a final group-stage match against Saprissa in Costa Rica, Motagua has a clear path to decide their fate in the concluding round. The 0-0 result featured several near-misses, strategic substitutions, and the continued involvement of Honduran players in Cartaginés, plus a Panama victory in the same group that reshaped the group standings. A hopeful takeaway is López’s debut showing promise for further improvements as the team eyes a direct quarterfinal spot.