CHIRIQUÍ, Panama, September 16, 2025. – Costa Rica delivered a convincing performance, earning their first victory against El Salvador 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-20) in Pool B action on the opening day of the VII AFECAVOL U23 Central American Men’s Championship.
Costa Rica was consistent throughout the match, even though El Salvador stayed close on the scoreboard in all three sets but without seriously threatening their opponent.
The Costa Ricans relied on their superior blocking, leading 11-8, and were dominant from the service line 8-2, while also edging El Salvador in attacks 34-32. In points from unforced errors, El Salvador gave up 22 compared to Costa Rica’s 19.
Offensively, four Costa Rican players reached double digits, led by Yulius Brown with 14 points, followed by Stanley Grant with 12, Ignacio Sánchez with 11, and Jeremy Vanega with 10.
For El Salvador, Gustavo Ortiz was the top scorer with 13 points, supported by Abner Cano with 12 and Andrés Reyes with 11.
Costa Rica’s head coach, César Salas, said after the win: “We are very pleased with the team’s performance. What we had planned before the match was executed to the letter, although there are a few minor things to correct. The team showed good blocking, very effective serving, and a solid attack – all our tools worked. Now we just have to keep growing in this tournament.”
Meanwhile, El Salvador’s head coach Andrea Genova stated: “We knew we were going up against the strongest team in the group. Despite that, we played well in our first match. We know the crossover matches are key to achieving a good result, so we must focus on the games against Nicaragua and Honduras.”
English 
Spanish