Cobán Imperial defeated Achuapa 3-1 this Sunday at the José Ángel Rossi Stadium on matchday 21 of the 2026 Clausura Tournament in a match that will remain in memory due to an unusual situation. The Blue Princes lost both of their goalkeepers to injury in the first 24 minutes, forcing forward Óscar Mejía to assume the role of goalkeeper, and despite this they managed to overcome the tie in the second half with a double from Uri Amaral to take the three vital points in the fight for permanence.
The drama in the goal began early. At minute 10, starting goalkeeper Tomás Casas came out in tears after suffering a hemorrhage that forced him to be transferred to a care center. His substitute Víctor Ayala barely lasted ten more minutes, leaving in the 20th due to ankle pain, leaving Cobán without any goalkeepers available. Striker Óscar Mejía took the gloves in an unprecedented situation that did not prevent the Cobaneros from opening the scoring in the 35th minute with a goal from Janderson Pereira, although Achuapa equalized in stoppage time of the first half with a goal from Didier Acosta to make it 1-1 at halftime.
In the complement, Uri Amaral took center stage and gave the Prince Charming victory. ANDThe striker scored in the 65th minute to make it 2-1 and completed his double in the 71st minute for the final 3-1, while Óscar Mejía responded solidly between the three sticks when required.including a key intervention in the 68th minute where he stopped a strong shot although he suffered a blow from the impact of the ball.
A triumph that gives oxygen to Cobán
With this result, Cobán Imperial adds three vital points that allow it to breathe in the accumulated table with one day left until the closing of the tournament. The Blue Princes have 32 points in the 2026 closing season and showed character to overcome adversity in goal and carry out a complicated game.
For Achuapa, the defeat comes in one of its last games in the National League before returning to the First Division after confirming its mathematical relegation. The Cebolleros tied the game in the first half but could not maintain the level in the second half against a Cobán that found its great figure of the night in Uri Amaral.
The situation of Cobán’s two injured goalkeepers generated one of the most striking images of the season in Guatemalan soccer. Tomás Casas, who left the field in tears, and Víctor Ayala, who could barely complete ten minutes, left the team in an extreme situation that Óscar Mejía bravely faced from a position completely unrelated to his natural role on the field for more than 70 minutes.