Sports

Marathón Takes 2-1 First-Leg Lead; Concacaf Place Awaits Oct. 27

Marathón came from behind to beat Alianza 2-1 in the first leg of the Concacaf Central American Cup Play-In; the return leg decides qualification.

By QIBA DAILYPublished: Oct 21, 2026

Concept illustration: football beside Marathón 2, Alianza 1, First Leg 2-1, return leg Oct 27. — Editorial concept illustration of a football and the first-leg 2-1 score, with the Oct 27 return-leg date.

Marathón leads Alianza 2-1 after the first leg of the Concacaf Central American Cup Play-In, but the tie remains open. Alianza scored first in the fifth minute through Harold Osorio, but Nicolás Messiniti equalized in the 15th and Damín Ramírez put Marathón ahead in the 22nd, according to Concacaf’s match report.

The three goals arrived in a 17-minute opening stretch. Osorio headed in Matías Mier’s corner; Messiniti finished from close range; and Ramírez scored from inside the area. The sequence turned an early Alianza lead into a one-goal margin for the Honduran side.

Alianza hosts the second leg on October 27, and the winner of the tie qualifies for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. Marathón carries the 2-1 lead into that match.

The week, made clear.