Dario Benedetto (pictured) led Club America past visiting Herediano in a Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, second leg encounter on April 8, 2015, in Mexico City. (Photo: Mexsport)
MEXICO CITY – Most professional footballers don’t score four goals over the course of an entire career, never mind doing so in the opening half of a single game, one that just happens to send a team into a major club final.
Dario Benedetto, though, accomplished the spectacular feat Wednesday, helping Club America to a 6-0 win over Herediano in a 2014/15 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL) semifinal, second leg match and paving the Aguilas’ way into the final against the Impact de Montreal (6-3 agg).
In a magical evening, the Argentine forward equaled SCCL records for the most goals in a single game (4) and most goals in a half (4).
“The truth is that yes, it is my best-ever match,” said Benedetto, who took his career SCCL goal total to five. “I am very happy. Luckily, I had a good match and the majority of the boys played a very intense match. We knew that it was going to be difficult, but I had faith that we could come back.”
The 24-year-old emphasized that while many considered Club America’s chances to rally from a 3-0 first-leg deficit as being slim at best, especially since it had never happened in the competition’s seven-year history, the team never abandoned hope.
“It was a massive achievement,” Benedetto finished. “It was a difficult match. We had a three goal disadvantage, but we had all the faith and luckily it was able to be achieved.”
Club America will host the final opener on April 22 at the Estadio Azteca, with the action shifting to Montreal’s Stade Olympique on April 29.
