Tigres defeated Los Angeles FC 2-1 in the Final to conclude the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, bringing an end to a tournament that produced a number of matches to remember.
Here is a look back at the top five matches of the 2020 SCCL.
Seattle Sounders 2-2 CD Olimpia
The two teams had battled to a 2-2 draw in their Round of 16 first leg in Honduras, giving the MLS side a slight advantage heading into the second leg in Seattle. But the Central American visitors would strike first through Elvin Oliva in the 4’, only to see Seattle take control with goals from Cristian Roldan and Joao Paulo in the 21’ and 64’. Olimpia never threw in the towel, though, and a fantastic right-footed volley from distance from Carlos Pineda resulted in a 2-2 draw, with Olimpia advancing via the penalty shootout, 4-2.
Comunicaciones 1-1 Club America
This Round of 16 series started off with a thrilling encounter in Guatemala in which the teams were deadlocked in a scoreless draw for the first 80 minutes despite a slew of chances for both sides. Home side Comunicaciones would find a breakthrough in the 81’ via Gerardo Gordillo to take a 1-0 lead, only to see Club America’s Sebastian Cordova answer in the 90’ to make for a 1-1 final.
Saprissa 2-2 Montreal Impact
The going for MLS teams in Costa Rica against Saprissa is never easy, and the first leg of this Round of 16 tie was no exception. The Impact enjoyed a fruitful start, with Orji Okwonkwo and Romell Quioto giving the Canadians a 2-0 lead after just 22 minutes. But Montreal would later get their first taste of ‘Saprihora’, the term used for Saprissa’s dramatic second half comebacks. It came in the form of late goals from Johan Venegas in the 80’ and Ariel Rodriguez in the 90’, resulting in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Los Angeles FC 3-1 Club America
The electricity in this semifinal between two of the top teams from MLS and Liga MX was felt throughout the region and seven-time Concacaf champions Club America were feeling good going into the halftime up a goal 1-0 and a man after Sebastian Caceres scored in the 12’ and LAFC’s Eduard Atuesta was sent off right before the break. But LAFC produced an epic rally with Carlos Vela scoring two goals in the first two minutes of the second half and Latif Blessing capping the comeback with a goal in second half stoppage time to send LAFC to the Final.
Tigres 2-1 Los Angeles FC
The class and talent on display in the Final was beyond reproach, and SCCL debutants LAFC appeared poised to win after Diego Rossi’s opening goal in the 61’. However, Tigres, who had lost three of the previous four SCCL finals, summoned up their best football and equalized through Hugo Ayala in the 72’, followed by Andre-Pierre Gignac’s sensational game-winning strike in the 84’ to earn the Felinos their first Concacaf crown.
