Two goals from the Argentine striker Valentin Castellanos led to New York City to the 0-2 win over Saints Costa Rican in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League of the Concacaf.
Castellanos’ goals in the 5th and 30th minutes leave New York City with one foot in the quarterfinals, with the second leg to be played on February 23 in the United States.
In the first half, New York City largely dominated the game and the 0-2 lead could have been larger had it not been for a couple of saves by goalkeeper Kevin Ruiz and two shots that hit the posts.
The 0-1 came in the 5th minute due to a penalty converted by the Argentine Castellanos, who also scored the 0-2 in the 30th minute with a powerful shot inside the area after a bad rejection by the Costa Rican defense.
Castellanos, the great star of the American team, was a real headache for Santos who, as best he could, attacked with long shots and some set pieces.
The Costa Rican team suffered the absence of its two star forwards, the Jamaican international Javon East and the Cuban Luis Paradela, as well as that of the Mexican defender Everardo Rubio, who have problems with their work permit in Costa Rica.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with New York City dominating and wasting scoring chances against a Santos with no ideas and playing not to receive more goals.
Opportunities were missed by the Brazilian Magno, the Argentine Castellanos and the Uruguayan Rodríguez that could have given the North American team a much more comfortable advantage.
In the 69th minute, the Uruguayan Santiago Rodríguez left the game expelled for a hard tackle on Erson Méndez, so the New York team played the last 20 minutes with one man less.
Santos tried to press in search of discount, but their lack of offensive power added to the defensive solidity of the rival, prevented scoring chances in goalkeeper Sean Johnson’s goal.
DATA SHEET
Santos-New York City 0-2
0 – Saints: Kevin Ruiz; Juan Madrigal, Pablo Arboine, Albin Bennett (Ryan Cane, m.80), Luis Hernández; Michael Barquero (Luis Pérez, m.80), Douglas López, Denilson Mason, Sebastián Castro, Osvaldo Rodríguez; Erson Mendez.
Coach: Erick Rodriguez
2 – New York City: Sean Johnson; Maxime Chanot, Alexander Callens, Malte Amundsen, Tayvon Gray; Nicolás Acevedo, Maximiliano Moralez, Gedion Zelalem (Thiago Martins, m.75); Talles Magno (Keaton Parks, m.75), Santiago Rodríguez and Valentín Castellanos (Heber Araujo, m.89).
Coach: Ronny Deila
Referee: Puerto Rican José Torres. He admonished Arboine and Barquero, from Santos; and expelled Rodríguez from New York City.
Goals: 0-1, Castellanos (m. 5); 0-2, Castilians (m. 30)
Incidents: First leg of the Concacaf Champions League round of 16, played at the Estadio Nacional in San José
