Costa Rica’s Primera Division 2023-24 Apertura kicks off this week with round No 1. Deportivo Saprissa go into the campaign having won the Clausura title last season.
It was the team’s 38th title. Twelve teams will contest the Apertura and the action kicks off this week with the first of 22 rounds.
Reigning champions Deportivo Saprissa will host Sporting San Jose to start the new Apertura campaign. Saprissa went unbeaten in their last six head-to-head games against Sporting, posting five wins and one draw.
Sporting San Jose managed a nil-nil draw against Saprissa in last season’s Primera Division Clausura tournament. Sporting were a decent midtable side, finishing in fifth place out of 12 teams. They had a poor away record of just two wins, three draws, and six defeats.
Deportivo Saprissa topped the Clausura campaign with 50 points from 22 games. Saprissa were dominant at home, with 10 wins and one draw. They conceded just five home goals.
Municipal Perez Zeledon and Puntarenas FC split their last six head-to-head matches with three wins apiece. There were three red cards handed out in the teams’ last six games, including two in their most recent meeting.
Municipal Perez Zeledon are on a two-game winning streak against Puntarenas FC. Zeledon had a poor Clausura campaign, picking up just 24 points from 22 matches. Municipal Perez Zeledon had the second-fewest home points with just 14.
Puntarenas FC scored just one goal in their last two matches versus Municipal Perez Zeledon. The club did not have a good Clausura campaign, finishing 10th overall with 20 points. Puntarenas FC failed to win their last four games before the tournament’s end.
San Carlos went unbeaten in five of their last six matches versus Municipal Grecia in all competitions. San Carlos defeated Municipal Grecia 3-0 in their last meeting.
Municipal Grecia finished bottom of the Clausura tournament table in 2022-23. Grecia recorded just three wins during the campaign. The team also conceded the most goals, with 45.
San Carlos finished six out of 12 teams in the Clausura, ending the campaign in midtable. They tallied seven wins, eight draws, and seven losses to go along with a –1-goal difference. San Carlos went unbeaten in nine of 11 home matches.
Club Sport Herediano went unbeaten in their last six games against Municipal Liberia. Five of those six games were wins for Club Sport.
Herediano outscored Municipal Liberia 24-7 in their last six head-to-head games. Each o their last three meetings saw over 2.5 goals scored.
Municipal Liberia ended the Clausura tournament in seventh place. They did play well at home throughout the tournament, however. Municipal Liberia went unbeaten in 10 of their 11 home fixtures.