Verdes FC close out Central American Cup with one of their worst defeats, ending campaign 0–0–4

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2025. 9:12 am CST.

Verdes were outmatched by Costa Rica’s traditionally fourth-ranked Club Sport Cartaginés in an 8–1 thrashing on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Verdes FC’s 2025 Concacaf Central American Cup run came to a devastating end on Wednesday night with an 8–1 loss to Costa Rica’s CS Cartaginés at Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica. The result marks the Belizean champions’ worst defeat in the current regional competition and caps off a winless group stage in which they scored only four goals and conceded 17 across four matches.

After falling 4–1 to Motagua and 2–1 to Saprissa at home in Belmopan, then 3–1 to CAI in Panama, Verdes entered their final Group C match against Cartaginés with hopes of salvaging pride against a side that had yet to win. Instead, they were overwhelmed from the outset by Costa Rica’s traditionally fourth-ranked Club Sport Cartaginés.

Cartaginés struck three times in the first 16 minutes, with Johan Venegas and Diego Mesén exploiting defensive lapses on set pieces. Joel Burgos gave Verdes a brief glimmer of hope in the 27’, but Cartaginés responded immediately with two more goals in two minutes. By halftime, Marco Ureña had completed a hat trick, and Venegas sealed his own in the second half with a penalty.

The 8–1 scoreline eclipses Verdes’ previous worst in the Central American Cup — a 5–0 loss to Motagua in 2023 — and rivals their historic Concacaf defeats to Cruz Azul (12–2 in 1988) and Querétaro (8–0 in 2015). It also marks the second time Verdes have lost four straight matches in a single Concacaf tournament, having suffered the same fate in 2023.

In that 2023 campaign:

– Aug 2 – 0–5 vs Motagua (Belmopan)

– Aug 8 – 0–3 vs Alajuelense (Belmopan)

– Aug 16 – 0–4 vs San Miguelito (Panama City)

– Aug 23 – 2–3 vs Olancho (Tegucigalpa)

Verdes scored just twice and conceded 15 goals across those four matches — a grim precursor to their 2025 collapse.

Puerto Rican Joel Burgos scored Verdes’ only goal against Costa Rica side Club Sport Cartaginés in a lopsided 8-1 loss on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica. Photo Credit: Verdes FC

Despite the disappointment, Verdes’ history in Concacaf remains rich. Their most iconic campaign came in 2015, when they entered the Concacaf Champions League alongside Mexican side Querétaro and Panama’s San Francisco FC. On August 18, Verdes held Querétaro to a 0–0 draw at the FFB Stadium — a result that stunned regional observers. Just weeks later, on September 22, they defeated San Francisco 2–1 in Belmopan, marking the first time a Belizean club had earned both a win and a draw in group stage play.

Though the return legs were brutal — including two 8–0 away losses — the home performances stood as a defining moment in Verdes’ international journey.

That campaign joined a proud list of Verdes’ most notable results in Concacaf play:

– 1986 – 2–1 win vs Pembroke Hamilton (Bermuda)

– 1998 – 3–2 win vs Aurora (Guatemala)

– 2015 – 2–1 win vs San Francisco (Panama) in Belmopan

And among their most resilient draws:

– 1997 – 0–0 vs Xelajú (Guatemala)

– 1998 – 0–0 vs Platense (Honduras)

– 2015 – 0–0 vs Querétaro (Mexico)

– 2022 – 0–0 and 2–2 vs Platense (El Salvador)

As Belizean football continues to evolve, Verdes’ experience may serve as a wake-up call for deeper investment in club infrastructure, coaching, and competitive readiness. The talent is there. The challenge now is to match it with preparation.

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The post Verdes FC close out Central American Cup with one of their worst defeats, ending campaign 0–0–4 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2025. 9:12 am CST. Verdes were outmatched by Costa Rica’s traditionally fourth-ranked Club Sport Cartaginés in an 8–1 thrashing on Wednesday, August
The post Verdes FC close out Central American Cup with one of their worst defeats, ending campaign 0–0–4 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.