- Team form: Cartagines are unbeaten in 4 of their last 5 matches across all current competitions (W3, D1, L1).
- Opposition form: Perez Zeledon are winless in their last 5 games (D2, L3).
- Standings: Cartagines are the Primera Division Apertura 2026 pacesetters here in 2nd spot on 3pts after 1 game, while Perez Zeledon are 10th with 0 points after 1 game.
Cartagines to edge a close game
Odds and prediction
Cartagines can justify their slight betting favouritism at 1.85 for Tuesday's away trip to Municipal Perez Zeledon in the Costa Rican Primera Division. The hosts, who are a rather skinny 3.96 with the draw at 3.25, are a bit long here and it's probably the visitors who will come out on top.
Form and recent results
The visitors are travelling pretty well and, although they have split their away results, they aren't an unbeatable team.
- CS Cartagines are in decent form, having won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their last 5 in all competitions, while Municipal Perez Zeledon are the opposite with no wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats in their most recent 5 outings.
- In their most recent 3 games, Cartagines beat Guadalupe FC 0-5 (away), held CS Herediano to a 0-0 draw (away) and beat Inter San Carlos 3-1 (home).
- Perez Zeledon, who won the reverse fixture 3-1 at home in Primera Division Clausura 2026, have won 1 of the last 5 H2H meetings, Cartagines have won 3 and 1 has ended level.
Coaches and tactics
Perez Zeledon, who are coached by Roberth Arias, who was appointed on 2 June 2026, are likely to be a pragmatic unit in the short-term as the coach gets to know his players and they come to grips with his methods.
Cartagines are an organised team with a clear project and their coach Amarini Villatoro has made them a team that can get forward quickly from a 4 at the back, who have a more dynamic press and who are quick to transition. Perez Zeledon are more compact and conservative, with quick players to counter-attack when they can and an eye for goal on set-piece plays.
Head-to-head
Both teams have scored 2.0 goals on average in Perez Zeledon's home games in the last 5 H2Hs.
Perez Zeledon have won 0 of their last 2 home games
Perez Zeledon haven't been impressive in their 2 home Primera Division Apertura 2026 games (W0, D1, L1), so the home field advantage hasn't been an issue for them as yet.
Juan Gaete is the Cartagines danger man with 2 goals in 1 game in the Primera Division Apertura 2026. Gaete has also scored 4 of his side's 10 goals in their last 5 across all competitions, so he seems a fair chance to find the net on Tuesday.
Jose Alvarado is likely to be the threat for Perez Zeledon, as he has 1 goal in 1 in the Primera Division Apertura 2026. Alvarado is the hosts best chance of nicking a goal, so he's our pick in the anytime goalscorer market.
The odds here point to a tight affair with the game likely to be dominated by Cartagines' tactics of squeezing the space and tempo, while Perez Zeledon will sit deep and look for the big chance. Under 2.5 goals at 1.69 and Both Teams To Score – No at 1.83, therefore, seem the way to go in this one.
With Cartagines in better form and the home team in a rut, we're sticking with the away team to squeak out a win or to play out a tense draw.
