Municipal Grecia defeated Puntarenas FC on the 7th matchday in the Primera División Clausura in Costa Rica. The hosts set up in a 4-3-3 and opted for a pretty direct approach with many long balls to the tall Hurtado and Lesme. They were effective with that playing style, dominating their opponents early on in the game and scoring three goals in the opening 30 minutes. Puntarenas FC created a few chances after that but failed to score a consolation goal.
Ratings:
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be a strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Sebastian Suarez
- Nationality: Costa Rican
- Age: 19
- Date of birth: 15/07/2003
- Club: Municipal Grecia
- Career: Municipal Grecia
- Position: Right-Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Sebastián Suárez played as a right-back for Municipal Grecia in his second start for the Costa Ricans. Suarez stands at approximately 1.80 meters with a normal build. He has average speed and acceleration as he failed to win sprint duels occasionally, especially when he started a few meters behind his opponent. The defender was also slower without the ball than his opponent with the ball. Suarez is a mobile defender. He changes directions quickly and has good footwork. Suarez did not look that strong in physical duels, often getting beat in shoulder-to-shoulder duels and not being able to protect the ball sometimes. The right-back likes to join the attack with late, overlapping runs. Suarez struggled to really make a good impression in the final third though, not contributing much to Municipal Grecia’s attacking play and failing to create a chance for the Costa Ricans.
Suarez looks composed under pressure and dares to play forward passes. He is capable of playing one-touch football and played well-weighted first-time passes into the midfield. The right-back has decent ball control and first touch from aerial passes, but he often received the ball in some space. He made one defensive mistake early in the first half when he misjudged an aerial pass from the right wing. Suarez missed the ball and his opponent could have had a big chance if his touch was better. Suarez tended to stay close to his opponent and did not stay in the defensive line that much because he wanted to put high pressure on his opponent. This opened up gaps on his wing which was sometimes exploited by the opponent. He did well to look at the ball in defensive 1v1 duels and displayed a decent body shape and positioning. Suarez did well to not lean backwards too.
Rating – A2
I think that Sebastián Suárez lacks a bit of speed, physical ability and quality in the final third to make that step to a league like the Belgian league. He will become a good player in this league and could possibly make a step up to a bigger league later in his career.
Matthew Bolanos
- Nationality: Costa Rican
- Age: 20
- Date of birth: 05/07/2002
- Club: Municipal Grecia
- Career: Saprissa, Jicaral (L), Municipal Grecia
- Position: Centre-Back
- Secondary position: Left-Back
- Preferred foot: Left
Matthew Bolaños played as a left central defender for Municipal Grecia in the match against Puntarenas FC. Bolanos stands at approximately 1.82 meters with a normal build. The Paraguayan defender showed decent speed and acceleration covering depth. However, he was surprised by a blindside run of his opponent in a counter-attack at one occasion because he failed to scan. He stepped up at the right time and won most of his ground duels near the halfway line. This helped Grecia to maintain possession on the opposition’s half. Bolanos often managed to reach the ball in physical duels against a stronger and taller opponent. He did well to get around the opponent and get the ball clear. The defender must be cautious that he stays behind his opponent though, as he could get exposed against more-skilled opponents who could turn him. He displayed decent body and leg strength throughout the game as he consistently managed to hold off his opponent in physical duels, despite not being the tallest player.
The Costa Rican defender had an impressive timing in aerial duels, winning aerials despite being significantly smaller than his opponent. He cut passing lanes really well throughout the game when the opponent had settled possession on Grecia’s half, showing that he reads the game pretty well. The defender actively tried to coach his teammates and showed a lot of determination and positive aggression throughout the game. However, he had some lapses of concentration near the end of the game. He also got a yellow card after a late challenge in the 86th minute. Bolanos displayed his ball-playing ability very often during this match. He has a very good passing technique over both short and long distances. The defender showed good vision as he often found his teammates with over the top through passes but also by playing powerful passes into the attack.
Rating – A2
Matthew Bolaños had an impressive performance both on and off the ball but I am concerned about his defensive awareness (defending blindside runs). The level of the opponent was pretty low and I am interested to see him against a better opponent. For now, I do not think that Bolaños is ready for a step to Europe since he does not have the speed to compensate for his lack of defensive awareness. He is an interesting player though with his ball-playing ability in combination with his decent physique and timing in aerial duels.
Andres Rodriguez
- Nationality: Costa Rican
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 19/01/2000
- Club: Municipal Grecia
- Career: San Carlos, Barrio México (L), Grecia
- Position: Central Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Andrés Rodríguez played as a left central midfielder in the match against Puntarenas FC, but also switched to the defensive midfield position in possession occasionally. Rodriguez stands at approximately 1.77 meters with a normal build. He turns pretty quickly with the ball at his feet and had an okay burst of speed. However, he seemed indecisive while traveling with the ball, allowing opponents to catch up. The midfielder also looked vulnerable in shoulder-to-shoulder duels, as he consistently failed to protect the ball or to win the ball back. Even though he had okay bursts of speed, he could not create separation because he lacked physical ability. The midfielder sometimes had a loose touch under pressure, allowing his opponent to knick the ball of him leading to a dangerous counter-attack. Rodriguez did not have the speed to track back in time. Rodriguez generally struggled under pressure, even though he seem to knew where the space was as he made the right choice almost every time. However, his execution was below average with plenty of passes that weren’t accurate. His long passing technique needs to be worked on.
With a bit more space to work with, Rodriguez looked a lot more comfortable on the ball. He took positive first touches and showed good passing ability with both feet. However, as mentioned, he struggled under pressure which is very concerning. His through passing in transition was also very inconsistent. His sloppy passing broke down plenty of attacks. The midfielder liked to operate in advanced areas on the pitch, but failed to get into good positions and did not transition from attacking to defending quickly. Even though he did get into the box a few times, he did not get any chance to score a goal. Rodriguez was a bit uncontrolled in ground duels, losing his composure and giving away fouls. As he also is not the strongest, he lost many duels. His defensive positioning was questionable at times, especially because he often tried to press up high but failed to get back into position. Because of this, gaps opened up in midfield that could have been exploited by the opponent if it was a higher-quality side.
Rating – B2
I don’t think that Andrés Rodríguez is an interesting player as he was far from press-resistant, but he did know where the spaces were and if he works on his technique he could become a good player in this league. He also needs to develop his physique.
Jaidivert Hurtado
- Nationality: Colombian
- Age: 22
- Date of birth: 10/12/2000
- Club: Municipal Grecia
- Career: CD La Equidad, Irapuato, Oaxaca, Grecia
- Position: Left-Wing
- Secondary position: Striker
- Preferred foot: Right
Jaidivert Hurtado played as a left-winger for Municipal Grecia in the match against Puntarenas FC and got an assist. Hurtado stands at approximately 1.93 meters with a muscular build. He did not seem to have much body control or mobility though in some situations, but sometimes he showed signs of decent mobility, especially when he played a rabona pass in which he looked more athletic than I originally thought. Even though he had decent agility and turned pretty quickly without the ball, he could not use his agility because his footwork and ball control was below average. He was often forced to turn away from congested areas. Hurtado has really good speed over long distances, using his long strides to generate a lot of speed. The attacker recognized when he needed to make a run in behind and often surprised his opponent with his runs, allowing him to gain a few meters. By making a good run, Hurtado won a penalty and got a good assist.
The Colombian attacker was composed in the final third and managed to find Lesme in the box after another good run. The attacker won many aerial duels because of his good timing and height. He did not allow his opponent to push him off-balance in the air. Hurtado had a pretty good technique overall. He had a decent first touch under pressure but did not have good ball control in tight areas because of his average footwork. The Colombian attacker played with flair and even completed a rabona pass. His short passing technique was pretty good and consistent. Hurtado was good with both his right and left foot. He used his left foot to cross the ball into the box, while mainly using his right foot to dribble.
Rating – A1
Jaidivert Hurtado looked like an interesting prospect with his good runs in behind, composure in the final third and decent technique. I have concerns about his mobility and footwork and probably need to watch more of him but he could be a useful asset for a counter-attacking team in a slightly better league. However, I need to see more of him.
Fernando Lesme
- Nationality: Paraguayan
- Age: 20
- Date of birth: 08/04/2002
- Club: Municipal Grecia
- Career: Potros del Este, Grecia (L), Grecia
- Position: Striker
- Preferred foot: Right
Fernando Lesme played as a striker for Municipal Grecia in this match and got a goal for the Costa Ricans. Fernando Lesme stands at approximately 1.95 meters with a normal build. He looked a bit lanky throughout the game but generated decent speed over short and long distances. The attacker turned relatively quickly for someone of his frame. Lesme seemed tired after about 60 minutes and did not cover that much ground defensively. He did not press the backline and was only walking. Lesme did have a pre-assist in the last minute of the game, after he played a decent through pass to one of his teammates. The Paraguayan striker received a lot of long balls because of his tall frame. He usually did well to lean into his opponent to protect the ball. Fernando Lesme struggled to find a teammate and did not have great link-up play. He did not look that mobile and struggled to deal with receiving passes at knee-height.
The striker did not have a good passing technique, also because of what I mentioned above. When the ball was on the ground, he also struggled to find teammates as his passes lacked accuracy. His dribbling technique in attacking 1v1s looked average because he does not move well. He controlled the ball well but looked slow. Lesme did well to draw fouls during the times he had to hold-up play because he did not receive any support from his teammates. The attacker showed good perseverance and determination in the duels, as he always kept trying to reach the ball. This helped him to maintain possession a couple of times. Fernando Lesme strikes the ball really well and almost always hits the target, even from awkward angles. He got into really good positions in the box and managed to score from close range after Hurtado put in a decent cross. Lesme, despite being a striker, had a good eye for teammates in the box and generally knew where his teammates were.
Rating – A2
I mainly watched this match for Fernando Lesme and I need to say that I am very underwhelmed even though he could become a pretty good striker in the future. He lacks mobility and technique to become a good targetman. Lesme consistently failed to hold- and link-up play well. However, he looks like a very good striker in the box and is composed. The Paraguayan striker might be very useful as a supersub for dominant sides in slightly bigger leagues but I doubt he quite has what it takes to become a starter in a more-demanding league as of yet. With 15 goals in 24 matches, Lesme has had a very good season so far though.