MIAMI, Florida – When it comes to the Scotiabank Concacaf League, one of the players most identified with the tournament is Motagua MF Kevin Lopez.
As the all-time leader in SCL games played (26) and Motagua’s top scorer all-time in the SCL (8 goals), Lopez feels a kinship with the tournament that is in its fifth year.
“I’m so grateful to God and to them team for allowing me this opportunity to be a part of this club, which is the biggest in Honduras, so I’m very happy about what has happened in this tournament,” said Lopez in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
“I try to enjoy it and I try to do it with a strong commitment. This is the biggest club in Honduras, so you always have to give your best. I want to continue to do things well and achieve more objectives, but also with a great responsibility,” added Lopez.
Lopez and his Motagua teammates are ramping up for their third SCL Final, which kicks off on Wednesday with the first leg at home in Tegucigalpa against Comunicaciones of Guatemala.
After coming up just short in both the 2018 and 2019 Finals to Costa Rican sides Herediano and Deportivo Saprissa, respectively, Lopez has the confidence that 2021 can be the year that Motagua break through and win a first SCL crown.
“We’re happy to be in a third final, I think we’ve done a good job. It’s three finals, two of them consecutive, so we’re happy, but we’re taking this final with a lot of responsibility. We’ve lost the other two finals, so we can’t let this one get past us.
“I think it has to be our moment. They were two straight finals in which we did not achieve our objective. We are trusting in God that the third time will be a charm. We can’t let another final go to waste,” said Lopez.
Motagua and Comunicaciones are no strangers when it comes to facing each other in Concacaf competition. The two legs will be the 15th and 16th times that the two Central American sides have competed against each other in a Concacaf tournament. Lopez knows that the Catracho club can expect to see the very best of what the Chapines have to offer.
“Comunicaciones are a good team. They are in this Final because they have done things well. They play well with the ball, so we are going to have to be prepared to try to counter their football and impose our football. I think we have the advantage in that we start at home with our fans, so we have to make the most of that homefield advantage,” said Lopez.
Motagua and Comunicaciones will also live in Concacaf lore for the epic penalty shootout they staged in last season’s SCL Preliminary Round.
A 2-2 draw after 90 minutes resulted in a shootout that ended up lasting 18 rounds, with 36 total attempts and ultimately a 15-14 victory for Motagua. Lopez can’t help but laugh when he thinks back to that October 2020 night that made history as the longest penalty shootout in the history of Concacaf club competition.
“It was incredible, really. There were so many nerves because there were 36 penalties taken and each one of us ended up taking two penalties! There was a lot of nervousness because at different points both of us had chances to win it, but something would happen to continue it. In the end we were able to win it, but dealing with so many nerves was very difficult,” said Lopez.
While most of the players from that night are still with their respective squads, Lopez feels like Motagua’s previous experience of being in two SCL finals can offer a slight edge.
“I think any advantage we have is because we are in our third final and we can put into practice the things we learned from the previous finals. In that aspect, I think we have an advantage. It’s not that we are accustomed to playing these types of finals, we just have that experience of two straight finals and we can learn from the errors that we previously committed,” said Lopez.
A win for Motagua would also make the club the second Honduran side to win the SCL, following in the footsteps of rivals Olimpia, who lifted the trophy in the inaugural edition in 2017.
It would also be a first ever Concacaf title for Motagua, something that everyone affiliated with the club would cherish.
“It would mean a lot for the fans, just like it would mean a lot to us and our families. They have also been waiting for it and hoping for it. I think if we are able to earn it, they’ll enjoy it to the fullest. It’s what we all dream about, so we hope to make that wish come true. The fans deserve it because they are always there supporting us, they are there in the good times and bad, so we hope this third final is a charm and we can all enjoy it together,” concluded Lopez.