This was the slap from Emir Ponciano that cost him the expulsion in the defeat of Guatemala U-20

Home Sport This was the slap from Emir Ponciano that cost him the expulsion in the defeat of Guatemala U-20
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July 24, 2026July 24, 2026By Mario Vásquez
This was the slap from Emir Ponciano that cost him the expulsion in the defeat of Guatemala U-20

The Guatemala’s U-20 National Team began its participation in the Concacaf World Cup on the wrong foot by losing 1-0 against Costa Rica at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla, Mexico. Beyond the result, the expulsion of Emir Ponciano, at minute 32, conditioned the match, since the team led by Sebastián Bini played for more than an hour with one less player.

A reckless action by the defender led to his expulsion and left the Bicolor in numerical inferiority for much of the match. This lack of concentration ended up costing Guatemala dearly, which, despite their efforts, could not avoid defeat in their debut in the competition.

During the first minutes, the game was contested and with few clear scoring opportunities. Both teams were organized and cautious, with most of the game concentrated in the midfield. As the minutes pass, Costa Rica took control of possession and created greater danger on the goal defended by Álvaro Medrano, who responded with solvency to maintain the tie.

When Guatemala seemed to regain prominence and found spaces to attack, the play arrived that changed the development of the match. In an action near the touchline, Gabriel Sibaja accused Emir Ponciano of hitting him in the face with a slap. After reviewing the play on the VAR, the referee showed the Guatemalan soccer player a direct red card and left the Blue and White outnumbered at a key moment in the match.

Despite the emotional blow, Guatemala showed character and sacrifice. The national team retreated in defense, resisted the Costa Rican attacks and, in the second half, even generated some of the clearest chances of the game. Omar Bolaños was close to opening the scoring and Marvin Ávila Jr. also worried the Costa Rican defense.

However, the physical wear and tear took its toll and, in the 76th minute, Costa Rica found the winning goal with a powerful long-distance shot from Keyner Hernández. Guatemala tried to react, but could not find an equalizer and suffered a painful defeat in its debut.

Now, the Blue and White are forced to recover in their next match against Antigua and Barbuda, in search of their first points in the tournament and to leave behind a debut marked by the expulsion of Emir Ponciano.

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