The Santos Laguna Mexican won this Tuesday by 1-0 at Montréal HRwith a goal by Alberto Ocejo, and took advantage in the round of 16 of the Champions League of the Concacaf, whose winner will play the Club World Cup. Ocejo scored with a header in the 88th minute and reflected his team’s dominance on the pitch on the scoreboard.
In the opening half, Portuguese coach Pedro Caixnha’s Santos were better; he had possession 53-47 and shot 13 times (by one his opponent) but wasted nine corner kicks and a couple of big runs.
Eduardo Aguirre escaped with the ball in the 29th minute, he shot twice, the second with the Colombian Harold Preciado well positioned waiting for the ball, and in both the goalkeeper Sebastián Breza kept the ball.
Breza saved Montreal again in minute 38 when Alan Cervantes arrived in another incomplete attack by Santos, who created another threat in minute 44 with a shot by Uruguayan Brian Lozano.
Wilfried Nancy’s Montreal improved in the second half. The American Djordje Mihailovic teamed up well with the Argentine Joaquín Torres and revitalized the Canadians’ attack.
Santos regained dominance. In the 69th minute the Argentine Leonardo Suárez and in the 70th Preciado stepped on the area, but the final blow was again missing. In minute 88 the Uruguayan Fernando Gorrirán served Ocejo, who made it 1-0.
The second leg will be played on February 22 in Montreal, where the Mexicans will have to submit to low temperatures. The winner of the series will go to the best between the Mexican Cruz Azul and the Canadian Forge.
DATA SHEET
Santos Laguna-Montreal 1-0
1- Santos Laguna: Carlos Acevedo; Ismael Govea (Carlos Orrantia m.79), Félix Torres, Matheus Doria, Omar Campos; Édgar Gámez (Jordan Carrillo m.71), Alan Cervantes, Fernando Gorriarán, Brian Lozano (Leonardo Suárez m.61); Eduardo Aguirre (Alberto Ocejo m.79), Harold Preciado
Coach: Pedro Caixinha
0- Montréal FC: Sebastian Breza; Joel Waterman, Gabriele Corbo, Kamal Miller; Lassi Lappalainen (Zorhan Bassong m.65), Victor Wanyama, Rida Zouhir (Matko Miljevic m.82), Mathieu Choiniere (Zachary Brault-Guillard m.83); Djordje Mihailovic, Romell Quioto, Joaquin Torres
Coach: Wilfried Nancy
Goal: 1-0, Alberto Ocejo (d. 88)
Referee: Oshane Nation, from Jamaica. He admonished Brian Lozano; Romell Quito, Zorhan Basong.
Incidents: First leg of the Concacaf Champions League round of 16, held in front of more than 6,400 fans at the Corona Stadium, in Torreón, northern Mexico
