MIAMI, Florida – Forge FC of Canada will try to overturn a 1-0 deficit on aggregate when they take on Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the second leg of their 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 series on Thursday night at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
While the 2022 edition marks Forge’s first foray in the SCCL, the Canadian Premier League club has ample experience playing away from home in the Scotiabank Concacaf League.
From 2019-21, the club has amassed an impressive 4W-3D-3L record on Central American soil and now they will need the same kind of fortitude and more to try to topple six-time Concacaf champions Cruz Azul.
A goal from Romulo Otero earned Cruz Azul the first leg win in Canada, so Forge will be calling on playmakers Kyle Bekker and David Choiniere to return the favor.
Bekker led the team in shots (2) in the first leg and made three ball recoveries, while Choiniere was a menace all night for the Cruz Azul defense and would like nothing more than to improve upon his four-goal career total in Concacaf matches.
Defending a lead on home turf is nothing new for SCCL veterans Cruz Azul and they know that either a win or draw will be enough to earn their place in the quarterfinals.
When playing at home in Concacaf, Cruz Azul own an impressive 37W-8D-6L record, with 158 goals scored and just 36 against, so history alone should provide the home side with a boost of confidence.
It certainly helps when the likes of FW Santiago Gimenez and MF Luis Mendoza can be relied on to help supply the offense, with the latter leading the team in passes (46) and shots (2) in the first leg.
And should Cruz Azul require a spark, a couple playmakers in Uriel Antuna and Bryan Angulo, each with a great pedigree of scoring in Concacaf competitions, are capable of turning a game around.
