Herediano falls 0-3 to Sporting FC in Wanchope's return

Four days of work aren't enough to fix a locker room that had already gone through three changes in charge in a matter of weeks. That much was clear at Estadio Carlos Alvarado, where Herediano fell 0-3 to Sporting FC on a night that was supposed to mark a rebirth.

Paulo Wanchope returned to the Herediano bench with the job of halting a crisis that had been dragging on for a while. First Jose Giacone was let go, then Marcel Hernandez left the club in surprising fashion, Jafet Soto took over the team on an interim basis, and now it was Wanchope's turn. His return, though, didn't come with the reaction everyone in Heredia was hoping for.

The team came out looking to play, the way it usually does when it wants to control the ball, but a familiar story repeated itself: plenty of possession and little real danger. Sporting stayed patient, letting the minutes tick by knowing the home side's anxiety would eventually crack the door open. And that's exactly what happened.

Three blows in less than half an hour of real playing time

The first blow came in the 53rd minute, when Jose Mario Pinto took on and beat Getsel Montes on an individual play to make it 0-1. That goal completely rattled a Herediano side that never found a way to respond.

Thirteen minutes later, in the 66th, Alex Lopez unleashed a long-range shot that found the corner with no chance for the keeper, making it 0-2. The result was sealed late on: Daniel Colindres pounced on a botched clearance from Dany Carvajal to make it 0-3 in the 87th minute, putting the outcome beyond doubt.

With this loss, Herediano remains stuck on just four points and drops to seventh place in the Apertura 2026. Beyond the standings, the message is clear: changing coaches doesn't fix overnight the problems of a team that just a few months ago was celebrating the national title and today looks far removed from that version of itself.

There's no time to process the blow. On Wednesday, Wanchope will have to face Antigua of Guatemala in the Copa Centroamericana, a match Herediano absolutely needs to win, and the club will also have to keep an eye on other results to know whether it stays alive in the international tournament.

Paulo Wanchope's third stint in charge of Herediano has just begun. And, truth be told, it could hardly have gotten off to a tougher start.