Alianza Loses Key Players to National Duty in Central American Cup

Alianza will be without four of its regular starters in the upcoming Central American Cup match as they join El Salvador’s national team for World Cup qualifying preparations against Guatemala and Suriname, according to El Gráfico. Despite the setback, the club still holds a chance to advance to the next round of the regional tournament.

Head coach Ernesto Corti addressed the issue after his side’s 2-0 win over FAS in the Apertura. “We were told they won’t be available, even though the initial agreement was they’d return later in the week. That’s fine, we support the national team. We have other players who can step up, and we’ll fight for the result, although it doesn’t depend only on us,” the Argentine said.

Team captain Henry Romero, who is among the call-ups, echoed his coach’s words. He admitted he was disappointed to miss the previous match against Alajuelense but emphasized the pride of playing for El Salvador. “It’s always special to represent the country. We believe we can fight for a World Cup spot, and we want to prove that to our people,” Romero noted.

Club president Pedro Hernández also weighed in during the presentation of new signing Enrico Dueñas. He insisted that supporting the national team is a priority. “Guatemala already had its players since last week. It’s not an obligation, but I’ve always said I’m pro-national team, and I think it’s the least we can do,” he stated.

The players released are goalkeeper Mario González, defender Henry Romero, midfielder Noel Rivera and forward Emerson Mauricio. They will not travel with the squad heading to Panama for the August 26 clash with Plaza Amador. Instead, they’ll begin training with the national team on August 25 and stay in camp until August 31.

Even with these absences, Alianza still has a path forward. The team sits on four points and needs a victory in Panama to keep its hopes alive for the quarterfinals, relying as well on the outcome of other matches in the group.