MIAMI, Florida – The fifth edition of the Scotiabank Concacaf League concluded on Tuesday night with an exciting 4-2 comeback victory for Comunicaciones FC of Guatemala against Honduran side Motagua in the second leg of the 2021 SCL Final, giving Comunicaciones a 6-3 win on aggregate.
Here are the top five moments from this year’s tournament.
Comunicaciones claim first SCL title
Comunicaciones made history by not only winning their first ever SCL title but by also becoming the first Guatemalan club to claim the crown. Adding to their impressive achievement is the fact that the Cremas had to start in the Preliminary Round and along the way eliminated some of Central America’s most historical clubs like Alianza of El Salvador, Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica and Motagua of Honduras in the Final. Not only did Comunicaciones boast the Top Scorer (Juan Anangono, 6 goals), but they led most team categories, such as goals (21), assists (16), goal situations (97), points (25), passes (2,896), saves (34) and fouls received (125).
Forge break through to reach SCCL
Canadian Premier League side Forge FC came achingly close to qualifying for the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League out of the 2020 SCL, so when the opportunity presented itself to achieve that feat in the 2021 SCL, Forge grasped that chance with both hands. Going up against Costa Rica side Santos de Guapiles in the quarterfinals, Forge rallied from a 3-1 deficit on aggregate with a dramatic 3-0 home victory in the second leg to punch their ticket to a first ever SCCL. Forge became the fourth Canadian team to qualify for the SCCL, and they could not have done it without a praiseworthy 2W-2D-1L record on Central American soil in the 2021 SCL.
Guastatoya's dramatic comeback vs. Alajuelense
2020 SCL champions Alajuelense of Costa Rica were seen as a big contender for the title going into the 2021 edition, but Guatemalan side Guastatoya had other plans in mind for their Round of 16 battle. Veteran Mexican FW Luis Angel Landin, who won a Concacaf Champions Cup with Pachuca, scored to give his side a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg against the Ticos. However, Alajuelense looked to be in control at home in the second leg with a 2-0 lead going into the final 10 minutes, but Landin punctuated a dramatic two-goal comeback with a goal in the 90th minute to give Guastatoya a 2-2 draw and the tiebreaker on away goals in a 3-3 draw on aggregate. The result also earned Guastatoya their second SCCL appearance.
Real Esteli and Marathon produce heart-stopping penalty shootout
There is just something about the SCL that produces dramatic penalty shootouts. A year after Motagua and Comunicaciones had their record 18-round penalty shootout in the Preliminary Round, Nicaraguan side Real Esteli and Marathon of Honduras saw their penalty shootout reach a full nine rounds before Marathon eventually won, 5-4. It came after Real Esteli won the second leg at home 2-0 to pull the series level on aggregate 2-2. Matters had to be resolved in a shootout and Marathon GK Denovan Torres would emerge as the hero, saving four Real Esteli penalties, while also converting an attempt that kept Marathon alive. In the end, a fourth and final save from Torres and a sweetly struck shot from Frely Lopez advanced Marathon to the next round.
Motagua reach an unprecedented third Final
No team has reached more SCL Finals than Motagua, who advanced to their third Final in just four years after eliminating Canadian side Forge FC 2-2 on aggregate via the away goal tiebreaker. It is a remarkable achievement for a club that has been one of the most consistent top performers in the history of the tournament. Motagua also managed to vanquish rivals Universitario of Panama and Marathon of Honduras along the way to the Final, and will once again play in the SCCL in 2022.
