For a second time in as many years, Guatemalan tactician Amarini Villatoro has steered a club into the Copa Centroamericana final.
Key points
- Amarini Villatoro has guided two different clubs – Xelajú MC and Cartaginés – to the Copa Centroamericana final in consecutive years.
- Cartaginés advanced on a 3‑2 aggregate after a 2‑2 draw in the second leg against Olimpia, having won the first leg 1‑0.
- Key goals came from Joaquín Alonso Hernández and Jean Carlo Castro for Cartaginés, while Olimpia’s scores included an own‑goal by Luis Olivas and a strike by Jorge Benguché.
According to Prensa Libre, Amarini Villatoro – the Guatemalan coach who guided Xelajú MC to the 2025 Copa Centroamericana final – has once again reached the championship match, this time at the helm of Costa Rica’s Cartaginés.
Cartaginés earned its place in the final after a 2‑2 draw in the second leg against Honduras’ Olimpia in Tegucigalpa, overturning a 1‑0 first‑leg win at home to claim a 3‑2 aggregate victory.
Villatoreo repeats historic semifinal feat
The match opened with an early setback for Olimpia when defender Luis Olivas (Mexican) scored an own‑goal in the 12th minute, but Jorge Benguché restored the lead for the Honduran side at the 52‑minute mark.
Cartaginés responded when Joaquín Alonso Hernández found the net at 36 minutes, scoring a solo effort from the second post, and later, Jean Carlo Castro added a dramatic 90+4 minute goal to seal the aggregate win.
Cartaginés secures final berth with 3‑2 aggregate win
The semifinal mirrors Villatoreo’s 2025 achievement, when he led Xelajú past Real España to the same stage, underscoring his reputation for guiding Central American clubs deep into the tournament.
The final, still to be scheduled, will determine whether Villatoreo can add a second consecutive title to his résumé, a milestone that would further cement his status in regional football.
Reader questions
Who is Amarini Villatoro?
Amarini Villatoro is a Guatemalan football coach who led Xelajú MC to the 2025 Copa Centroamericana final and, according to Prensa Libre, has now taken Cartaginés to the 2026 final.
How did Cartaginés qualify for the final?
Cartaginés won the first leg 1‑0 at home, then drew 2‑2 in the second leg in Tegucigalpa, securing a 3‑2 aggregate victory over Olimpia.
When will the Copa Centroamericana final be played?
The article does not specify the exact date of the final, only that Cartaginés has secured a place in it.
Source: prensalibre.com