The goals of Carlo Costly (white jersey) were key to Olimpia’s run to the 2017 Scotiabank CONCACAF League title.

CONCACAF.com is taking a look back at the most interesting items from throughout the Confederation over the previous 12 months.

CONCACAF 2017: FIVE OF THE BEST CONCACAF LEAGUE PLAYER PERFORMANCES

#1: Carlo Costly, OLIMPIA; home v Alianza (Quarterfinals, Second Leg)

August 24, 2017 -- Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino/Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Carlo Costly’s two goals gave Olimpia a 3-1 over visiting Alianza in the quarterfinal, second-leg encounter, sending the Leones into the semifinals, 3-2 on aggregate.  The host took a 2-1 lead in the 55th minute as Costly scored with a wonderfully taken left-footed shot from the left side of the box off a long, looping pass from Alexander Lopez.  Then, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Lopez again found the 35-year-old forward, who bounced a header into the net from nine-yards out for the series clincher.

#2 Roger Rojas, OLIMPIA; away v Plaza Amador (Semifinals, First Leg)

September 14, 2017 – Estadio Rommel Fernandez/Panama City, Panama)

Roger Rojas finished as the 2017 Scotiabank CONCACAF League’s top scorer with five goals, two of which came in Olimpia’s 7-1 win over host Plaza Amador.  He put the Leones ahead 3-0 in the 28th minute, running onto Alexander Lopez’s through ball and beating goalkeeper Eric Hughes from 15-yards out.  In the 65th minute, Rojas was released down the middle by Brayan Moya to fire past a charging Hughes with his right foot from 22-yards out.  The 27-year-old forward also assisted on Michael Chirinos’ goal in the 68th minute.

#3: Rodolfo Zelaya, ALIANZA; away v Platense (Round of 16, First Leg)

August 2, 2017 – Estadio Excelsior/Puerto Cortes, Honduras

As the latter stages of the second half approached, Zelaya gave visiting Alianza a 1-0 lead in the 72nd minute, poking home with the outside of his right foot from eight-yards out.  Platense leveled in the 85th minute through Brunet Hay, but – three minutes later -- Zelaya set-up Juan Portillo for the game-winner as the Albos won, 2-1.

#4: Jose Bernardo Laureiro, WALTER FERRETTI; home v Belmopan Bandits (Round of 16, First Leg)

August 3, 2017 – Estadio Independencia/Esteli, Nicaragua

Jose Bernardo Laureiro became the first player to score two goals in a Scotiabank CONCACAF League game as Walter Ferretti won 4-1 over visiting Belmopan Bandits.  The 25-year-old Uruguayan made it 2-0 for the host in the 75th minute, when he fired in a left-footed shot from 15 yards off a Robinson Da Silva feed.  Laureiro completed the 4-1 scoreline in the second minute of stoppage time, finishing Jorge Garcia’s pass with a neat back-heel from the edge of the six-yard box.

#5: Carlos Small, ARABE UNIDO; away v Aguila (Quarterfinals, First Leg)

August 16, 2017 -- Estadio Cuscatlan/San Salvador, El Salvador

Sometimes, goals in the first leg of a series are just as important as those in the second.  Carlos Small proved that supposition, scoring both goals in a 2-0 quarterfinal, first-leg win over Aguila as Arabe Unido ultimately progressed 2-1 on aggregate.  Only 23 seconds after he replaced Renan Addles at halftime, Small drilled a shot from the top of the box that goalkeeper Benji Villalobos couldn’t control as it trickled into the lower right corner of the net.  The 22-year-old forward struck again in the 82nd minute, chesting down Rigoberto Nino’s cross and depositing the ball into the net from seven-yards out.