MIAMI, Florida – The first leg of the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League Final is in the books after an exciting 2-1 win for Guatemala’s Comunicaciones against Motagua of Honduras on Wednesday night in Tegucigalpa.

There were a number of stand-out performers and big moments during the match, and right at the top of that list stands Comunicaciones FW Juan Anangono.

The veteran Ecuadorian had a key role in each goal for the Cremas. Comunicaciones’ opening score might have come off the boot of Jorge Aparicio, but it was Anangono who jumped to win a header against two Motagua defenders, leaving Aparicio with plenty of space to fire in his shot.

Anangono was also the right man at the right time late in the second half when he anticipated Motagua GK Jonathan Rougier having to block a long-range shot, allowing Anangono to then put away a tidy finish to give his side a big win.

Anangono would finish the night with a goal on three shots, an assist, a steal, while completing 79 percent of his passes in 83 minutes played.

Credit is also due to Motagua goalscorer Roberto Moreira. After Aparicio’s opener, Motagua were keen to get on level terms and Moreira could call himself unlucky for not having scored sooner. Twice he had chances to find the back of the net, only to be denied by Comunicaciones GK Kevin Moscoso.

But for Moreira, the third time proved a charm as his towering header off a pinpoint cross from Kevin Lopez put the home side back on even terms shortly before halftime. It was the highlight of a busy night for Moreira, who had a goal on four shots and completed 75 percent of his passes in 64 minutes of action.

Comunicaciones MF Jose Contreras might be 35 years old and one of the eldest players in this Final, but you would have never known it by his workmanlike performance in the middle of the field.

Contreras was seemingly always around the ball and had two steals in his 66 minutes. He also came within a whisker of scoring in the opening minutes when a shot was cleared off the line by the Motagua defense.

With the dust now settled after the first leg and the two teams turning their attention to next Tuesday’s second leg in Guatemala City, it must be said that Comunicaciones and Motagua produced a wonderful spectacle of football in these first 90 minutes.

Normally, a final first leg is a cagey affair, with both sides keen to take a more conservative approach. That was not the case in Tegucigalpa. Comunicaciones’ red-hot start was the spark for a thrilling affair in which the visitors registered nine shots, while the hosts had 12.

Comunicaciones were also very active in midfield and defense, dispossessing Motagua nine times versus five for the Hondurans. It was also a very clean game played by both teams, as Comunicaciones completed 92 percent of their passes, compared to 87 percent for Motagua.

Whether individual or team displays, there were many great moments and performances in the 2021 SCL Final first leg.