Xelajú Play Out Goalless Draw with Cobán Imperial in Playoff Race

On Sunday night, Xelajú MC hosted Cobán Imperial at the Mario Camposeco stadium and the clash ended goalless, keeping both clubs in the qualification zone of the Torneo Apertura 2026. The result leaves the Quetzaltenango side in seventh place with 11 points, while the visitors move out of last place with five points.

What defined the scoreline

The main factor was the performance of Cobán goalkeeper Tomás Casas, who made three decisive saves, including stopping a penalty taken by Yair Jaén in the 57th minute. Interventions in the 23rd, 41st, and 45th minutes prevented Xelajú from creating clear goalscoring opportunities.

How the first half unfolded

Xelajú controlled greater possession and tried to open the scoring through Yair Jaén, who took a free kick in the 23rd minute but saw the ball land in Casas' hands. Soon after, defender Ernesto Monreal attempted a header, but the Cobán goalkeeper parried the effort. Right before halftime, Xelajú appealed for a penalty, but referee Walter López waved it off after consulting Football Video Support (FVS).

Decisive moment of the second half

The turning point came when William Amaya fouled Jorge Aparicio inside the box, and the referee awarded the penalty in the 56th minute. Jaén stepped up to take it, but Casas made the save to keep the match level. In the closing stages, Xelajú pressed, but attempts from Steven Cárdenas and Ricardo Márquez were thwarted by Casas.

Impact on the standings

With the point, Xelajú remain one point away from the playoff qualification zone, while Cobán Imperial climb out of last place but still fight to escape the relegation zone. Both managers, Roberto Hernández (Xelajú) and Ramiro Cepeda (Cobán), sought to make adjustments for their upcoming fixtures.

Expectations for the upcoming rounds

Xelajú's next challenge will be against Comunicaciones, while Cobán Imperial seek to snap their losing streak and improve their standing in the table. Casas' performance showed that defense could be the foundation for Cobán's resurgence, whereas Xelajú must find attacking alternatives to convert possession into goals.

With information from Prensa Libre, OneFootball, Emisoras Unidas.