Mauricio Tapia spoke candidly after Antigua GFC’s 3-2 victory over Comunicaciones in the first leg of the Clausura 2026 quarterfinals at the Pensativo Stadium.
The colonial coach acknowledged that the final result generated mixed feelings in him, since his team had a three-goal advantage but could not sustain it in the final minutes. “I am very sorry for the final result. The result does not reflect the superiority that there was,” said Tapiamaking it clear that he considers that the score is not a true reflection of what Antigua showed on the field.
The coach highlighted the great work of his team in the first half, where the colonials opened the scoring from the 8th minute with Agustín Maziero and managed to build a 3-0 lead before Comunicaciones reacted. “We were superior in the first half, we even had two or three more chances to finish the game”said Tapia, who also recognized that the stopped ball was a determining factor in the Cremas’ partial comeback. “The stopped ball is a Communications weapon and must be taken into account for the return”warned the colonial strategist.
Tapia also identified the key moment that changed the course of the game. After Karel Espino’s 3-1 in the 67th minute, the colonial team suffered a drop in spirit that allowed Comunicaciones to get closer on the scoreboard.. “The 3-1 score played against us emotionally,” the coach acknowledged, in reference to the goal that sparked the Cremas’ comeback and that ended up complicating what seemed like a calm classification for the avocado trees.
The series is open
Despite the result, Tapia returned with optimism. “The series is open and for me the result does not reflect the superiority that there was,” insisted the coach, who knows that Antigua has real options to qualify at the Cementos Progreso Stadium next Saturday, May 2.
A factor that works in favor of Comunicaciones for the return leg is its best position in the Clausura 2026 table. Los Cremas finished fourth with 35 points, above Antigua, which finished fifth with 34, so the tiebreaker criterion in case of equaling the aggregate favors the albos. This means that if the series ends equal on aggregate, Comunicaciones would automatically advance to the semifinals for having finished better positioned in the regular phase.
With this scenario, Comunicaciones will arrive at the Cementos Progreso Stadium with the obligation to win to advance without depending on other factors, while Antigua will seek to repeat the solidity of Pensativo’s first half to close the tie against its city rival in what promises to be one of the most intense matches in the Clausura 2026 league.