Dallas Cup Super Group preview Liga Deportivo Alajuelense

Dallas Cup Super Group preview

Liga Deportivo Alajuelense

By Daniel Robertson

Costa Rican giants Liga Deportivo Alajuelense better known as LDA join the Dallas Cup Super Group in 2010 as they become the first Costa Rican team to participate in the Super Group since Saprissa in 2007. Alajuelense trails just Saprissa all-time in Costa Rican Primera Division championships with 28 including their most recent league championship in 2004 as well as boasting a CONCACAF Champions Cup also won in 2004.

The Costa Ricans come to Dallas as a bit of an unknown commodity having not competed in the Dallas Cup Super Group in over a decade. LDA has a strong contingent of Tico youth national team players featuring as many as six players from the U17 national team who made it to the under-17 World Cup Finals in Nigeria during October of 2009.

Regardless of who starts, Alajuelense looks to be strong in goal as both the starting goalkeeper for Costa Rica, Mauricio Vargas, as well as the backup, Ricardo Rojas, are Alajuelense U19 players. LDA youth also should be solid at the backline as Joseph Mora and Adrian Mora, both Alajuelense products, started every game for the Ticos at defense in Nigeria.

LDA faces a difficult group at Dallas Cup XXXI as they will open with CF Monterrey from Mexico before facing Chelsea FC and FC Dallas Juniors with the exact schedule coming out in the coming weeks. While Alajuelense looks to be a bit of an underdog at Dallas Cup XXXI, the Costa Ricans can't be counted out as they boast multiple national team players and the undoubted talent that Costa Rican teams bring to Dallas Cup.

Stay tuned to the Dallas Cup blog for more team previews and other Dallas Cup news as we count down to the thirty-first Dallas Cup coming to the Metroplex March 28-April 4.