*** This post will be updated through the end of the Nicaraguan playoffs ***
Saprissa won their fifth consecutive league title in Costa Rica after defeating Alajuelense 3-0 (3-2 aggregate). Down 0-2 from the first leg in Alajuela, Saprissa had to be aggressive from the kickoff, and they got the perfect start when Alejandro Alpízar and Armando Alonso scored two minutes apart. Saprissa were wrongly denied a goal due to an nonexistent offside call, but five minutes from time Jairo Arrieta connected his head to a cross from the right to give the Purple Monsters the 2008 Invierno championship and their 28th league title.
On Sunday, Comunicaciones won the Apertura final in Guatemala over Municipal, after a 1-1 draw resulted in a 3-2 aggregate win. Municipal had leveled the series on Selvyn Ponciano's goal midway through the first half, but Costa Rican international Rolando Fonseca scored ten minutes from time to give Los Cremas their 22nd domestic league title.
Isidro Metapán are the new champions in El Salvador, after winning a thrilling final [video] against Chalatenango 4-3 on penalties after a 3-3 draw at the end of 120 minutes. It's their second championship since the club's merger from two local clubs eight years ago. After a goalless first half, the match sprang into life as Metapán converted a penalty, but then Chale scored two goals to take the lead before José Martínez converted the equalizer for the Jaguars. In the extra time period, Chale scored in the first 15 minute session through Ámilcar Martínez, but Metapán's goalkeeper Dagoberto Portillo equalized by converting a dramatic -- and highly controversial! -- penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time in the second overtime period! Portillo was the hero again during the penalty kick shootout as he saved two Chalatenango spotkicks.
The first leg of Nicaragua's Apertura final between Diriangén and Real Estelí - the two major clubs in that country - finished 0-0 in Estelí. That's a big result for Diriangén as the series shifts south to Diriamba next Sunday; a win will give them the title, while a score draw will hand the title to Real Estelí. This article gives a glimpse into the atmospherics surrounding the final. (CORRECTION: I changed the original text which said that the first leg was played in Diriamba when it was actually played in Estelí. I had thought that the first leg would be hosted by the lower-ranked team in the classification, but it turned out to not be the case.)
UPDATE (12/29): Real Estelí defeated Diriangén 2-0 away to win the Nicaraguan Apertura. It's the sixth consecutive time that they've won the title under the short tournament format. According to this article on Pinolerosports.com, Real Estelí dominated proceedings against a strangely subdued and overwhelmed Diriangén side. The Train of the North is halfway to clinching Nicaragua's lone berth in next season's CONCACAF Champions League.
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