Herediano, Real Salt Lake hold each other scoreless in first leg | OneFootball

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – CS Herediano and Real Salt Lake played to a nil-nil draw in the first leg of their Round One series as the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continued Wednesday at Estadio Nacional in San José, Costa Rica.

RSL forward Forster Ajago had a promising chance in the 35’ when he broke loose into a one-on-one opportunity with Herediano goalkeeper Dany Carvajal, who blocked the attempt.

Zavier Gozo, who entered the match in the 59’ for Real Salt Lake, is the second youngest player to appear in a Concacaf Champions Cup match this season at 17 years, 334 days old. Only Monterrey’s Francisco Valenzuela (17 years, 304 days) did so at a younger age.

In the 66’, Yurguin Román unleashed a rocket from midfield but was denied by the crossbar as the hosts sent a warning shot.

Midfielder Pablo Ruiz subbed on in the 75’, returning to the field for the first time in nearly a year after undergoing surgery for an isolated ACL tear.

Kobi Henry’s nine clearances are the most by a Real Salt Lake player in the Concacaf Champions Cup since 2016.

Elías Aguilar led Herediano in chances created with three. Aguilar has been responsible for the last three times a player from a Costa Rican team created three or more chances in a CCC match.

With the draw, Herediano remained unbeaten in its last four home matches against U.S. teams in the Concacaf Champions Cup (W2, D2), including two matches against Real Salt Lake (1-0 in 2012 and 0-0 today).

Real Salt Lake has kept clean sheets in seven of its last 10 CCC matches (5-4-1), conceding just four total goals in those matches. RSL has also kept clean sheets in four of their last five away matches in the competition.

The second leg of this series will be played next Wednesday at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, USA, with the winner on aggregate advancing to the Round of 16.