Two clubs heading in contrasting directions meet at Estadio Verapaz on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, as Cobán Imperial takes on Suchitepéquez in Week 17 of the Torneo Apertura 2026 in the Liga Nacional de Guatemala. The afternoon fixture, scheduled for 15:00 hours, pits a rising Cobán side against a struggling Suchitepéquez squad desperate to escape the basement of the league table.
Cobán Imperial enters the contest sitting in ninth place with 19 points through 16 matches, record-holding five wins, four draws, and seven losses. Under the direction of manager Ramiro Cepeda, the Príncipes Azules have mounted a recovery following a difficult start to the campaign, claiming victory in four of their last six outings. Most recently, Cobán secured a 3-1 home win over Marquense and will aim to leverage home-field advantage to climb closer to the postseason qualification places.
Meanwhile, Suchitepéquez anchors the standings in last place with just nine points, having registered a single victory, six draws, and nine defeats. Managed by Domingo Zalazar, the Venados arrive following a 2-2 draw against Aurora. Although Suchitepéquez has suffered only one defeat across its past four fixtures, the team’s primary hurdle remains converting stalemates into maximum points. Notably, the club’s sole win of the current tournament came precisely against Cobán Imperial, a 3-2 result achieved on August 28, 2026.
Neither side enters the match with suspended players, allowing both Cepeda and Zalazar to field their preferred starting line-ups.
Cobán Imperial will start Tomás Casas in goal, supported by a defensive line of Luis De León, Selvin Tení, Darwin Torres, and Julio Sandoval. The midfield features Byron Leal, Eduardo Soto, and Lester Ical, while Janderson Pereira, Steven Paredes, and Uri Amaral occupy the attacking roles.
Suchitepéquez counters with Julio Secaida between the posts. The defensive unit consists of Dany Rodas, César Madrid, and Wilson Díaz. Fabricio González, Marco Rivas, Armando Zamorano, and Mafre Icuté form the midfield, with Figo Montaño, Denis Herrera, and Alejandro Galindo leading the attack.
Historical head-to-head records across the teams’ last five encounters reflect competitive fixtures, highlighted by Suchitepéquez’s 3-2 victory earlier this season on August 28, 2026. Prior results include a 1-0 win for Suchitepéquez on April 29, 2018; a 4-2 triumph for Cobán Imperial on March 3, 2018; a 2-1 Cobán victory on October 22, 2017; and a 2-2 draw on August 20, 2017.
