MLS Teams into the Quarterfinals CONCACAF Champions League 2020

Photo cortesy of Concacaf

 

By Diego Murguia, BarnBurner.ca

 

TORONTO. - Four MLS teams passed their Round of 16, Montreal Impact and LAFC suffered their matches, while Atlanta United and NYC FC dominated the game.

 

Three Liga MX teams passed to the quarter-final, America, Tigres and Cruz Azul will face the MLS teams in the next two weeks.  

 

Montreal Impact

 

The Montreal Impact passed to Round 16 (2-2 aggregate, away goals) after a draw 0-0 against Saprissa at Stade Olympique on Wednesday night.

Montreal will face Honduran team Olimpia on March 10th at State Sapudo. 

 

LAFC

 

Los Angeles FC stunned Leon 3-0 (3-2 on aggregate) in historic comeback to advance to the quarter-final in Concacaf Champions League.

 

Carlos Vela, MVP in 2019, scored the first-two goals for LAFC to tie the series in the 77th minute.

 

Two minutes later, Diego Rossi scored the goal that ended up taking down Leon, one of the most consistent teams in Liga MX, and favourite to win it all, in a historic comeback at Banc of California Stadium on Thursday night.

 

LAFC will face another Mexican team Cruz Azul on March 10th at the Banc of California Stadium.

 

Atlanta United

 

Atlanta won 3-0 against Motagua (4-1 on aggregate) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday night. Gonzalo Martinez with two goals and Josef Martinez contributed with a goal.

 

Atlanta United will face Mexican team Club America on March 10th at the Azteca Stadium. 

 

NYC FC

 

NYC FC won 1-0 (6-3 agg) against San Carlos at home on Wednesday night. 

 

Alexander Callens scored the only goal of the match.

 

NYC FC will face Tigres from Liga MX at home in the same date as the other games. 

 

Seattle Sounders

 

Seattle Sounders, the defending champion in the MLS, were knocked out in the Round 16. Sounders tied the game 2-2 (4-4 agg) at home against Olimpia. The Honduran team beat the MLS champion in the penalty shootout 4-2.

 

Sounders will go back to the MLS and focus in the league.

 

Tigres

 

Tigres had a 3-0 lead before first-half (4-2 agg), but too many mistakes led Alianza to score two goals (4-4 agg) in the last 15 minutes of the half. Enner Valencia, and Andre-Pierre Gignac (2 goals) scored for Tigres. Juan Carlos Portillo scored both goals for Alianza.

 

Both teams battled until the end to decide who will go through the next round. At the last minute, with 94 minutes played, Tigres had a free-kick on the top-right of the pitch, and Nahuel Guzman, goalkeeper for the Mexican team, went to the area to finish the situation with a header. Guzman gave Tigres the winning goal.

 

America

 

Club America couldn’t beat Comunicaciones at home and they went to penalty shootout, where America took advantage and win it 5-3.

 

Cruz Azul

 

Cruz Azul blow out Portmore United 6-1 on aggregate at home.

 

MLS teams have never won a Concacaf Champions League. Last time an MLS team were in a final was in 2018 when Chivas de Guadalajara defeated Toronto FC in penalty shootout 4-2.