If you’re not circling Perez Zeledon vs San Carlos on your calendar, you’re probably the same person who changes the channel during the exposition scenes in Breaking Bad — and, my friend, you’re about to miss the full measure of drama. Because in Costa Rica’s Primera División this Sunday, we are in for something between a score-settling sequel and two franchises fighting to keep their season from turning into a 22-episode slog of regret.

Let’s start with Perez Zeledon — the perennial “could-be contender” sitting 5th, looking at the playoff spots the way Gollum looked at the One Ring: so close, so out of reach, and one or two missteps from falling off the mountain completely. These guys have been vaping draws like it’s a lifestyle choice. Last five games? Three draws, two losses, and a lone point clung to each time like Jon Snow clutching his sword in a blizzard. Their offense? Steady as a Toyota Corolla, giving you about one goal per game, never flashy, but man, do you wish for a little turbo sometimes.

What keeps this side even breathing in the playoff picture is their knack for taking a punch, and not going down. The last time these two teams met, Zeledon pulled off the kind of grind-it-out, ugly 1-0 victory that wins you respect in the locker room (and induces heartburn in the stands). They don’t exactly light up the scoreboard, but think Mike Ehrmantraut from Better Call Saul: methodical, unspectacular, but gets the job done.

Now, flip to San Carlos — on a losing streak so cold, you’d have to defrost them like a bag of Costco chicken wings before kickoff. Four straight losses. EIGHT goals scored all season. Do you understand how hard it is to watch that? It’s like sitting through the non-musical parts of Cats. They’ve conceded 19 times, averaging nearly two a game, and you can practically hear the defense muttering, “It’s happening again…” every time a cross comes in.

But let’s not kid ourselves: there’s a little Antonio Conte energy here, the stubborn refusal to fold, and if you were watching closely as they took that 3-2 win over Guadalupe (their lone recent bright spot), you saw a team that, just for a half, remembered it could play fast, dangerous football. Sure, San Carlos has been a wet blanket offensively since, but when all seems lost, that’s sometimes when football writes its best plot twists.

So who’s the main character in this pitch drama? Perez Zeledon’s Joaquin Aguirre, who — if the game against Sporting FC is any indication — has a knack for timely goals and the late dramatics that make a 90th minute worth watching. Paired with Jorman Aguilar, who’s become the spiritual lifeblood of their midfield, they’re the kind of duo that could give San Carlos defenders flashbacks to their worst days.

San Carlos? Their best hope is to exploit the Zeledon back line’s occasional lapses — the same way you root for the heist crew in Ocean’s Eleven to find the one unlocked door. If they can get the ball to their midfield orchestrators early instead of waiting for a miracle, they might just turn low-scoring grind into a momentum swing. In matches like these, it’s the guy who’s allergic to the spotlight that suddenly turns into an Emmy-winner for a night.

Tactically, expect Zeledon to boss possession, string passes, and look to break down the flanks. They’re at home and fifth in the league for a reason: they know how to keep the ball and frustrate you until you break. Their problem? Converting half-chances into something that actually bulges the net. It’s the soccer equivalent of having a killer script and shooting it on VHS. San Carlos, on the other hand, will want to play ugly — disrupt rhythm, sit deep, and hope for a counter, or even just a set piece to turn the tide.

What’s at stake? Let’s put it this way: Zeledon wins, and they keep their season moving like a Marvel Phase Four. Lose, and suddenly they’re the Eternals — technically alive, but nobody’s rooting for their sequel. For San Carlos, every point is survival. If they sneak a win, suddenly they’re not the team everyone checks for when calculating “easy three points.” That’s pride, that’s hope, that’s a reason to wake up Monday and not cringe at the table.

Prediction time? I’m taking Zeledon by a single goal — again — because that’s just what they do. But San Carlos is the dangerous animal backed into a corner; don’t be shocked if they come out swinging with a game plan so direct, the VAR will have to check for whiplash.

So cue the lights, get your popcorn, and don’t even think about switching to Netflix. This one has all the makings of a late-night cult classic — gritty, desperate, and just unpredictable enough to make you believe in the magic of Sunday football in Costa Rica.