Leon defeat LAFC to crown themselves CONCACAF Champions
On a beautiful 72-degree, clear day here in Los Angeles, CA, LAFC was set to host the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions final. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. The black and gold entered this match facing a 2-1 deficit after losing the first leg in Leon.
It was a sellout crowd, which also included a good number of Club Leon supporters, they were located in the southeast section of the stadium, occupying the 100 and 200 sections.
The pregame fireworks and festivities had the crowd excited for the game. Once the game started and the smoke cleared, LAFC began as they usually do, launching an onslaught of attacks. However, Los Esmeraldas did not back down and attempted to control the game through the midfield. Vela’s home team was in full attack mode, but in the 20th minute, Leon delivered a one-shot dagger that stunned both LAFC and the home crowd. Argentinian Lucas Di Yorio scored on a one-timer, putting Club Leon ahead 1-0 and (3-1) on aggregate. The crowd was numb, except for the 3252, who kept cheering.
Leon lined up with a 4-2-3-1 formation, which proved effective in keeping the Black and Gold off balance. The teams went into halftime with a 1-0 score, and the pressure was mounting for Cherundolo’s team.
As the second half got underway, Leon’s manager made a clinical and decisive choice to park the bus, defend, and play keep away. Nicolas Larcamon executed a tactical game plan that completely neutralized Carlos Vela, taking him out of the game. In the 64th minute, Cherundolo decided to remove Vela from the game mainly because he was not effective at all.
LAFC continued to trail as time ticked away. Although they had multiple shots on goal, the Mexican team from Leon withstood the barrage with a defense that resembled a wall in both games. They only conceded one goal to arguably one of the top offenses in MLS. Los Esmeraldas also achieved a feat that not many teams have accomplished, beating LAFC at home and shutting them out. Since 2018, LAFC has the most home wins with 55, second only to Philadelphia, who has 56 home wins, accumulating 298 points at home and on the road. They also lead the league in scoring with 346 goals. These numbers place them at the top of MLS.
Leon’s stifling defense was led by 20-year-old Fidel Ambriz, who is also the captain of Mexico’s under-20 team.
With this win, Leon secured a spot in next year’s Club World Cup, which will be held from Dec. 12-22 in Saudi Arabia. Leon also earned an automatic bid to the expanded 32-team Club World Cup that begins in 2025. LAFC will continue its regular season against Atlanta United this coming Wednesday.
