Cartaginés win the Tico showdown and storm into the semis

The second leg began with the 2-2 from the first match in the bag, and Cartaginés struck first. José “Tepa” González, set up by José Quirós, scored and became one of the few players to find the net in both legs of a quarterfinal tie in this competition.

Saprissa responded with experience. Orlando Sinclair, the club's all-time leading scorer in the tournament, headed the equaliser in first-half stoppage time, and early in the second half Fidel Escobar put the Purples ahead on the night and on aggregate.

The Fello Meza roared them on and Cartaginés found the answer from a set piece: Diego Mesén headed in a Douglas López corner to make it 2-2. In the closing stages, a penalty conceded by Luis Paradela gave Alfaro the chance to settle it from twelve yards.

Cartaginés, coached by Amarini Villatoro, will meet Olimpia in the semifinals. Hernán Medford's Saprissa are eliminated and out of the race for the Champions Cup.