Municipal's Carlos Ruiz (L) (Photo : Reuters)
Reigning Salvadoran Primera División champions Santa Tecla FC will host Guatemalan club CSD Municipal at the Estadio Las Delicias in Santa Tecla, El Salvador as they open their 2015-2016 CONCACAF Champions League group classifications campaign on August 20, Thursday.
Santa Tecla and Municipal is competing with Major League Soccer squad Real Salt Lake in a double round-robin, home-and-away eliminations for the top spot in Group G to advance in the knockout stages.
Municipal lost its opener, 0-1, against the Claret and Cobalt last August 4 at their home stadium of Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City, via the CCL official website.
Real Salt Lake's winger Joao Plata scored the lone goal of the match in the opening minutes and La Realeza preserved the lead until regulation time expired.
The Salvadorans most recent game was also a 0-1 loss in the hands of C.D. Universidad de El Salvador in the Primera División, as per Soccerway.
Curiously, UES' midfielder Elman Rivas scored the lone goal in the 3rd-minute mark of the match, exactly the same time Plata scored his against Municipal.
As both are coming off 0-1 losses, expect a rugged affair between these two clubs who are keen on snagging their first win of the tourney. Striker Carlos Ruiz will lead the offense of the Diablos Rojos to try and score as early as possible.
The predicted result is a close 1-0 win by the Guatemalan side as they bounce back from their embarrassing loss to the American team in their opener. Although Santa Tecla also has enough firepower and defensive savvy to reverse the score. This one is really a toss-up.
Santa Tecla starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Trinidad; Mancia, Ayala, Cornejo, Herrera; Barahona, Rivera, Chavarria, Hinestroza; Mayen, Escobar
Municipal starting lineup (3-4-1-2 formation): Motta; Cardona, López, Girón; Betancourt, Soto, Aguilar, Pérez; Hernandez; Woodly, Ruiz
