AD San Carlos suffered a frustrating 2-1 home defeat to Puntarenas FC at the Estadio Carlos Ugalde Álvarez on Sunday evening, as the visitors produced a resilient second-half display to claim all three points in the Costa Rica Primera División.

San Carlos started brightly and took a deserved lead, but Puntarenas turned the match around with two quick strikes after the interval, leaving the home side empty-handed in a result that could prove significant in the mid-table scramble.

First half: San Carlos draw first blood

The home team entered the contest with confidence, controlling possession and pushing forward from the opening minutes. Their pressure paid off before the break, when a well-worked move ended with a clinical finish to give San Carlos a 1-0 advantage. The goal lifted the home support, and San Carlos continued to threaten on the counter, though Puntarenas held their shape and limited further damage.

Puntarenas, however, were dangerous in spurts and showed glimpses of their attacking quality. They won a series of set pieces and forced a couple of sharp saves from the San Carlos goalkeeper, but went into halftime trailing by the single goal.

Second half: Puntarenas turn it around

The visitors emerged with more intensity after the restart, pressing higher up the pitch and disrupting San Carlos' rhythm. Their equaliser came courtesy of a well-taken chance inside the penalty area, after a defensive lapse left the scorer with time and space to finish.

Buoyed by that goal, Puntarenas kept pushing forward and found a winner minutes later. A quick transition caught San Carlos out of shape, and the away side made no mistake with a composed finish to complete the comeback and stun the home crowd.

San Carlos pushed numbers forward in search of an equaliser and created several half-chances late on, but Puntarenas defended stubbornly and saw out the remaining minutes to secure a valuable away victory.

Standout performers

• Puntarenas FC forwards: The visitors' attacking duo caused consistent problems after the break, with both goals coming from sharp movements in the box.
• San Carlos midfield: Controlled much of the first half but faded after the interval as Puntarenas' pressure grew.

Match impact

The win gives Puntarenas FC a crucial boost in the Costa Rica Primera División standings, strengthening their push toward the upper half of the table. For AD San Carlos, the defeat is a missed opportunity to build momentum on home soil, and the team will need to tighten its defensive organisation if it hopes to bounce back in the coming rounds.

Both sides now turn their attention to the next round of fixtures, with San Carlos likely eager to atone for the disappointing home result and Puntarenas aiming to build on an impressive away performance.