Olympia won 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate) against Marathon and was crowned champion of Honduras after playing the second game of the final of the Apertura tournament, which was played in Tegucigalpa. The match was intense and, in general terms, better managed by the new monarch, who lifted his 40th cup, and the two-time championship under the direction of the Uruguayan Eduardo Espinel.
Marathón started the game focused on the attack and exercised greater dominance during the first ten minutes. However, Olimpia reacted quickly and began to control the game, generating danger mainly in the left sector with Carlos Sánchez and José Mario Pinto, who filtered passes to the center in search of Yustin Arboleda and Jorge Benguché, their offensive references.
José Pinto (right), from Olimpia, disputes a ball with Damin Ramírez
The first half was characterized by a strong mark, a lot of physical intensity and few clear scoring opportunities, a reflection of the balance between the two teams that showed the best level throughout the tournament. Marathón tried to disturb with Odín Ramos, the Argentine Nicolás Messiniti -their top scorer- and Alexy Vega, but the solid Olympic defense gave them few spaces. On the other hand, the purslane defense also did its part to prevent Olimpia from taking the lead at half-time.
In the second half, the white team came out more determined to put the game to bed and in the 54th minute found the title goal. José Mario Pinto, one of the most prominent men in the midfield, received a pass from Jorge Álvarez, entered the area from the left, eluded a defender and scored with a cross shot that beat Marathón’s goalkeeper and captain, the Panamanian César Samudio.
The goal boosted Olimpia, who insisted on widening the difference, while the Marathón greens were unable to achieve their goals in front of the goal defended by Édrick Menjívar, also captain of the capital team. Starting in the 62nd minute, the match was interrupted for ten minutes due to a partial power outage in the stadium.
TECHNICAL SHEET
1 -Olympia: Édrick Menjívar; Kevin Güity, Clinton Bennett, Emanuel Hernández, Carlos Sánchez; Agustín Mulet, Jorge Álvarez, Edwin Rodríguez (Michael Chirinos m.72), José Mario Pinto and Yustin Arboleda (Jorge Benguché m.73)
0 – Marathon: César Samudio; Samuel Elvir (Cristian Sacaza m.74), Javier Rivera, Henry Figueroa, José Aguilera; Francisco Martínez, Isaac Castillo, Damin Ramírez (Tomás Sorto m.74), Alexy Vega; Odín Ramos (Rubilio Castillo m.56) and Nicolás Messiniti.
Goal: 1-0, José Mario Pinto (m. 54)
Referee: Said Martínez. He showed yellow cardboard to Clinton Bennett, Jorge Álvarez and Jorge Benguché, from Olimpia, and Francisco Martínez, Alexy Vega, Nicolás Messiniti and Rubilio Castillo, from Marathón.
Incidents: Final match of the Apertura 2025 tournament played at the José de la Paz Herrera National Stadium, in Tegucigalpa, before more than 20,000 spectators.
In the final stretch, Marathón opted for an offensive with four men in attack in search of a tie, but Olimpia’s defense was firm and orderly. Thus, Olimpia secured the victory and became two-time champion thanks to Eduardo Espinel, achieving its 40th title since the founding of the League in 1965. The first leg, which was played in San Pedro Sula, northern Honduras, home of the Marathon, ended with a 2-2 draw.
