Romo, Vazquez goals secure Monterrey’s quarterfinal place
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Romo, Vazquez goals secure Monterrey’s quarterfinal place

Romo, Vazquez goals secure Monterrey’s quarterfinal place

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MONTERREY – Goals from Luis Romo and Brandon Vazquez earned Monterrey of Liga MX a 2-1 victory versus FC Cincinnati of MLS in the second leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico.

The result gives Monterrey a 3-1 win on aggregate and a place in the quarterfinal round against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

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The teams traded chances in the first half-hour, with a Vazquez header spinning wide and a Stefan Medina shot missing the target for Monterrey, while Corey Baird and Luciano Acosta each barely missed wide for FC Cincinnati.

The chances kept coming for Monterrey and Luis Romo looked set to open the scoring in the 32’, only to hook a shot wide. Romo would get another crack at it, though, and this time he delivered by flicking a backheel of a Maxi Meza shot into net to hand Monterrey a 1-0 lead in the 42’.

FC Cincinnati came storming out of the gates to start the second half, led by Luciano Acosta, who scored one of the best goals of the tournament when he slalomed through four Monterrey defenders before swinging a shot into net to level the score at 1-1.

They were hungry for more and Monterrey GK Esteban Andrada twice had to make stretch saves to deny Aaron Boupendza and Baird on back-to-back chances.

FC Cincinnati GK Roman Celentano was also called upon several times to save his team, namely on a Luis Romo shot in the 61’ that he parried wide.

But there was nothing Celentano could do to prevent Rayados from finding a second as a counterattack ended with Meza crossing to a wide-open Brandon Vazquez, who had the easiest strokes into net to give Monterrey a 2-1 lead.

FC Cincinnati made one final charge and nearly pulled a goal back in spectacular fashion when Aaron Boupendza hit a bicycle kick off the post in the 76’.

Monterrey would finish on the front foot and calmly saw things out to punch their final eight ticket and continue their quest for a sixth Champions Cup crown.