MIAMI, Florida – This Friday at 7:00 PM ET, Concacaf will be airing a re-broadcast of the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Atlanta United and Monterrey, followed by the 2016-17 SCCL quarterfinal second leg between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the New York Red Bulls. Both matches will be shown on Concacaf’s Facebook and YouTube pages, plus the Concacaf App.
While Monterrey would eventually lift the 2019 SCCL trophy, their path in the early stages of the tournament had some serious roadblocks.
Alianza of El Salvador gave Rayados all they could handle in the Round of 16, with a 0-0 draw in San Salvador, followed by a narrow 1-0 home win in the second leg in Mexico in which an Alianza shot struck the post deep in the second half.
Still, it was enough to earn passage to the quarterfinal round, where they met an Atlanta United side that had to overcome their fair share of adversity.
The SCCL debutants got a taste of the difficulties of playing away in Central America with a 3-1 loss in Costa Rica against Herediano in the Round of 16 first leg.
However, the MLS side would rebound nicely at home in the second leg, and on the strength of a Josef Martinez brace, Atlanta United punched their ticket to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 win, setting up a massive clash with Monterrey.
The first leg at Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA Bancomer had all the makings of a classic, with both sides gushing with top-notch talent.
Rayados came out strong and only inches separated Nicolas Sanchez from scoring the game’s first goal in the 11’, when his header off a Miguel Layun free kick thundered off the crossbar.
Seven minutes later though, Sanchez would give Monterrey a 1-0 lead by converting a penalty after a push on Dorlan Pabon in the Atlanta United area.
Atlanta United GK Brad Guzan was repeatedly pelted by Monterrey shots throughout the match, but it was still just 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes, which was when Monterrey took control.
Pabon started the late onslaught with a sizzling left-footed shot in the 80’ to double the lead 2-0. Pabon then got to play the role of playmaker, as his inch-perfect cross from the right wing found a wide-open Jesus Gallardo, who hammered a left-footed shot in past Guzan to complete Monterrey’s 3-0 victory.
