Motagua and Marathon play to 1-1 tie in Honduran league final

Tegucigalpa (Honduras)   :  Motagua and Marathon played a 1-1 tie in the first leg of the Honduran league's Clausura football tournament final.

The championship will be decided when the clubs meet for the second game in the series on May 19 in San Pedro Sula, reports Efe.

Both teams were in a position to win Sunday's match, but the defences made plays at key times, preventing additional goals.

Host Motagua got on the scoreboard first on a goal by Carlos Discua in the 26th minute, but Marathon's Bryan Martinez evened it up just 14 minutes later.

Motagua will now have to travel to San Pedro Sula and beat Marathon, which will win the title with just a tie under league rules.

Coach Diego Vasquez's Motagua squad is seeking the 16th title in club history, while Marathon, coached by Hector Vargas, is in the hunt for its 9th championship since the Honduran Professional Soccer League staged its first tournament in 1965.

Motagua and Marathon finished the Clausura tournament as the top two teams.

Marathon was first in the standings, while Motagua wrapped up regular play in second place, allowing the clubs to qualify for the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, Marathon beat Real España, another club based in the city of San Pedro Sula, while Motagua beat Olimpia, a rival in Tegucigalpa.