Alberth Elis returns, Small delivers derby winner, and Zelaya bids farewell in Central America | OneFootball

MIAMI – The action in Central American Leagues across Concacaf continued with Club Atletico Independiente headlining the weekend’s results thanks to a derby victory against San Francisco FC via a Carlos Small match-winner.

CD Olimpia continued its perfect start to the Honduran Clausura as Alberth Elis returned to play nearly a year after a serious head injury.

An Alianza FC legend bid farewell as Rodolfo Zelaya captained the side in his final match after announcing his retirement on Friday.

Here is the roundup from Central America this week:

Belize

The Premier League of Belize continued its Closing Season 2024-25 with Week 2 encounters last Saturday. Port Layola FC improved to six points and maintained its spot at the top of the standings with a 3-1 victory at Wagiya SC.

Verdes FC also continued its perfect start with a 2-1 win against San Pedro Pirates, to follow second in the standings. Progresso FC earned its first victory of the season, a 5-nil victory against Belmopan FC, to climb up to third place.

Guatemala

The third matchweek of the Clausura 2025 in Liga Guate began with Antigua GFC bouncing back from defeat to win 3-2 at Comunicaciones FC.

Marquense maintained its strong start with a 2-nil win against CD Guastatoya. Deportivo Achuapa tied nil-nil with Deportivo Malacateco, while Cobán Imperial won 2-nil against Deportivo Mixco. Xelajú and CSD Municipal tied 1-1 to conclude the week’s results.

Marquense continues first in the Clausura table with nine points and continues to separate itself from the relegation spot in the accumulated standings.

Xelajú, Cobán Imperial, and Municipal are the top three in the accumulated standings, each with 34 points, with goal difference becoming the defining tiebreaker. Guastatoya continues to rank last with 15 points in the relegation race.

El Salvador

The second week of the Clausura 2025 season in El Salvador delivered the rise of LA Firpo into first place after a 1-nil win over CD Dragón. CD Águila rose to second place with the 3-1 win against CD Platense, with CD Fuerte San Francisco in third place after a nil-nil draw against Municipal Limeño.

Alianza FC was defeated 2-1 on home soil by CD Cacahuatique, who rose to fourth as Los Albos fell to fifth place. The result came second to an emotional farewell for Rodolfo “Fito” Zelaya, the club’s all-time scorer, who captained the club in the last minutes of his professional career.

AD Isidro Metapán started its season with a 3-1 home victory against 11 Deportivo FC to conclude the week’s events as CD FAS had a bye week.

CD Águila leads the accumulated standings with 45 points. LA Firpo follows in second, also on 45 points, and Cacahuatique in third with 44 points. Platense is last in the Clausura and accumulated standings.

Honduras

The second week of the Clausura 2024-2025 season in Honduras provided an inspirational return to the field for Alberth Elis. La Panterita played his first minutes in a professional match 11 months after a serious head injury sidelined him from action in France’s Ligue 2.

Elis entered the match in the 60th minute as CD Olimpia went on to collect a 3-nil victory against Juticalpa, with goals from Kevin López (22’), José Pinto (60’), and Jorge Benguché (88’), in Tegucigalpa. Los Leones improved to six points to take first place in the standings.

Genesis rose to second place thanks to a 4-nil home victory against Lobos UPNFM, in part to a double from Roberto Moreira. Real España finished the weekend in third place, also improving to four points, after a 2-nil win at Real Sociedad.

Olancho FC earned a 2-1 win over FC Motagua while CD Victoria took a 1-nil win at CD Marathon.

CD Olimpia also leads in the overall standings with 44 points, FC Motagua follows second with 37 points, and Real España is third with 33 points. Real Sociedad is currently the last in both the Clausura and overall table with zero and 14 points, respectively.

Nicaragua

The third week of the Liga Primera Clausura 2025 season in Nicaragua is in the books with a new first-place team. Despite a 1-nil loss at Managua FC, Rancho Santana FC rose to the top on goal difference after a Cacique Diriangén FC 3-nil defeat at home against CS Sébaco.

Real Estelí won 2-nil against Metagalpa FC to keep pace in third place, followed by Managua to round up the four teams with a six-point start. UNAN-Managua FC won 1-nil against CD Walter Ferretti, and Municipal FC Art Jalapa won 2-nil against CD Ocotal to recap the week’s results.

Diriangén continues to lead in the overall standings with 46 points, followed by Real Estelí with 42 points. CD Ocotal is currently last in the accumulated table with 12 points.

Costa Rica

AD Municipal Pérez Zeledón remains in first place of the Clausura 2025 standings in Costa Rica after five weeks following a nil-nil draw at LD Alajuelense. Sporting follows second in the standings after a 2-1 win at Santa Ana. Alajuelense is in third, followed by CS Cartaginés.

CS Herediano took a 3-1 home victory against Deportivo Saprissa, improving to seven points to rise into fifth place. AD Municipal Liberia fell 1-nil to Santos, who picked up its three points of the campaign. AD San Carlos tied nil-nil with AD Guanacasteca to conclude the week.

Reigning Concacaf Central American Cup champions LD Alajuelense lead in the accumulated table with 53 points, followed by Deportivo Saprissa with 45 points, and Herediano follows in third with 42 points.

Panama

The Apertura 2025 season continued in Panama with matchweek two.

Eastern Conference leaders Sporting San Miguelito played to a nil-nil stalemate against Potros del Este to begin the weekend. Plaza Amador earned its first three points in dramatic fashion thanks to a 90’+5 winner from Buitrago to finish 2-1 against Árabe Unido.

Western Conference leaders Club Atlético Independiente defended its lead with a 1-nil win against San Francisco FC thanks to a Derby-winning goal from Carlos Small. Herrera FC tied nil-nil with CD Universitario, while UMECIT FC also played to a scoreless draw against Veraguas United FC.

Tauro FC and Alianza FC will meet Monday night to put a bow on the second week of action.