Municipal took a significant lead heading into the second leg after beating Xelajú MC in El Trébol in the first leg final of Clausura 2026. The Reds took advantage of a dominant second half to get closer to the national title.
The match began with a surprise for the locals after Raúl Calderón put Xelajú ahead in the 9th minute after a rebound inside the area. However, Municipal reacted quickly and tied it at 11 with a shot by Jefry Bantes after a cross from John Méndez.
The red team found the key moment of the match after the expulsion of Jorge Aparicio in the 67th minute for a double yellow, an action that left the Superchivos with ten players and allowed Municipal to take full control of the match. “Aparicio had to see the red card before,” said Rodrigo Saravia after the game.
Jefry Bantes, one of the figures of the match, also called for caution despite the large advantage achieved at home. “There are 90 minutes left, but we took a big step,” said the red striker, already thinking about the final duel in Quetzaltenango.
Goleada in El Trébol
With one more man on the field, Municipal took advantage of Xelajú MC’s wear and tear and ended up tipping the game in their favor in the final minutes. Cristian Hernández broke the balance in the 70th minute, while Alejandro Cabeza extended the lead in the 81st minute after a play on the right wing that was badly stopped by the superchiva defense.
Pedro Altán ended the night at El Trébol in the 89th minute with the fourth red goal, unleashing the celebration of the scarlet fans. Although Estuardo Chang avoided an even greater difference with several important interventions, Xelajú was unable to contain Municipal’s offensive pressure at the end of the match.
Now, the Superchivos will need a historic comeback at the Mario Camposeco to continue dreaming of the Clausura 2026 title. In addition to reversing the three-goal deficit, Roberto Hernández’s team will have to face the second leg without Jorge Aparicio, sent off in the first leg and the first confirmed absence for the final final.
