Mexican teams await second leg of CCL quarter-finals
Three Liga MX teams are looking for the continental glory after the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League quarter-finals concluded this past Thursday. Atlas and Leon are looking to lift this trophy for the first time, while Tigres want to repeat after winning it in 2020.
Tigres and Leon got the victory
Both Tigres and Leon were able to take the victory back home. Tigres had to suffer more than they might have predicted at Motagua’s Olympic Stadium, it was not until the first half was almost finished that an impressive volley by Luis Quiñones put the Nuevo Leon team ahead. The second half was equally contested but both goalies were able to fend off the other team’s attacks.
The story was completely opposite with Leon, who had a field trip at home. Seven minutes into the game Leon opened the score. It seemed to be the beginning of a complicated night after a header inside the box that got into the net at the 56’, but the goal was offside. Ten minutes later Victor Davila took advantage of a feeble defense and scored the second for his team and the first of two in his personal ledger. Haiti’s Violette started to crack down and in the final ten minutes they received three goals following serious blunders by the defense.
Atlas will have to come back from behind
Even though Atlas started playing better during the first half at Philadelphia’s Subaru Park, a botched attempt to clear the ball allowed Edison Flores to sprint towards the goal without any remaining defender until Anderson Santamaria tackled him from behind and got sent out. Since then, Atlas started to play defensively and seemed to be able to take the point back to Guadalajara, but after a reckless tackle by Camilo Vargas, who until then had had a solid game, inside the box to Julian Carranza, Philadelphia got a penalty kick, which Daniel Gazdag convered.
Teams Ready after weekend matches
Both Tigres and Philadelphia lost their weekend matches in their respective leagues, however, Philadelphia, who are currently outside of playoff positions lost against leader Cincinnati 1-0, while Tigres suffered an upset at home after falling 1-2 against the last team of the table, Mazatlan. Meanwhile, Atlas tied against Juarez and remain outside of wildcard positions taking the thirteenth table spot.
Leon faced Cruz Azul in an intense and well played game, where both goalkeepers had important saves to ultimately keep the score 0-0. Leon remains in the top 4 places getting a direct spot to the playoffs.
