Guatemala Defeats El Salvador to Secure Their First Win in the AFECAVOL U19 Central American Championship

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 10, 2024 - Guatemala claimed a much-needed first victory over El Salvador, winning 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-23) in the stellar match of the third day of the 15th AFECAVOL U19 Central American Men's Volleyball Championship.

Guatemala entered the match determined to achieve their first win, and they delivered despite El Salvador's strong resistance.

With this result, Guatemala now holds a 1-1 record, while El Salvador drops to 2-1, still with a long road ahead in their quest for a podium finish.

ÁLBUM GUA VS ESA

Guatemala displayed greater consistency on the court, leading in attack points 41-27, blocks 5-4, and service points 9-2. However, they conceded 28 points in unforced errors compared to 20 by El Salvador.

Offensively, Guatemala attained a well-distributed attack, with Omar Mendoza scoring 11 points and José Samayoa, Santiago Mena, and Christian Álvarez contributing 10 points each.

For El Salvador, Rafael Vargas was the standout player with 13 points, the only player from his team to reach double digits.

Luis Castañeda, coach of Guatemala, remarked after the match: “We needed to win this game. We knew El Salvador is a very strong opponent that increases when playing at home in front of their fans. Step by step, we’re making progress. Now we must focus on the next match.”

Guillermo Polanco, coach of El Salvador, commented: “We know this is a very evenly matched competition. Against Guatemala, our reception failed us, and it hurt us significantly. The tournament is about halfway through for us, and we still have a shot at the podium. The path is now longer, but it’s not impossible.”

In the fourth day of the U19 Central American Championship, Guatemala will face Honduras, while El Salvador takes on Costa Rica.