The Blue Cross of the Peruvian coach Juan Reynoso won this Thursday by 3-1 F.C. Canadian to win the round of 16 series 4-1 and advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The Paraguayans Ángel Romero and Juan Escobar and the Mexican Rafael Baca scored for the Mexican Cruz Azul. David Choiniere discounted for the Forge. Cruz Azul will face Canadian CF Montréal in the quarterfinals, which on Wednesday eliminated Mexican Santos Laguna in their round of 16 series.
The Blues went up on the scoreboard on their first shot of the game. In the 5th minute, the Venezuelan Rómulo Otero took a free kick from the right that Romero swept past the far post to make it 1-0 with his left foot.
In the absence of Forge in offense, Cruz Azul scored one more goal. In minute 21, Baca shot from mid-range a ball that entered goalkeeper Triston Henry’s left post for 2-0. However, in an oversight, the Forge was present on the scoreboard. Choiniere had space to define himself and from outside the box he shot on goal to make it 2-1 in the 26th minute.
‘La Maquina’ regained control of the game and at minute 44, Luis Mendoza assisted Juan Escobar, who threw himself forward to make it 3-1 with his forehead. Cruz Azul controlled the second half in which Forge lacked depth and counted goalkeeper Henry as their best player, who saved his goal by stopping Otero’s shots in the 47th minute, Romero (66′), Luis Mendoza (73′) and Escobar (82′).
DATA SHEET
Cruz-Blue-Forge 3-1
3 – Blue Cross: Sebastian Jurado; José Martínez (Rafael Guerrero m.80), Luis Abram, Juan Escobar, Adrián Aldrete; Luis Mendoza, Rafael Baca (Carlos Rodríguez m.62), Ignacio Rivero (Cristian Jiménez m.63), Ángel Romero (Alejandro Mayorga m.71), Rómulo Otero; Santiago Giménez (Iván Morales m.45).
Trainer: Juan Reynoso
1 – Forge FC: Triston Henry; Alessandro Hojabrpour (Kwasi Poku m.79), Ashtone Morgan, Dominic Samuel, Garven-Michee Metusala (Noah Jensen m.69); David Choiniere (Christopher Nanco m.60), Kyle Bekker, Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson, Tristan Borges (Emery Welshman m.60); Terran Campbell (Woobens Pacius m.60) and Aboubacar Sissoko.
Coach: Bobby Smyrniotis
Goals: 1-0, Angel Romero (m. 5); 2-0, Rafael Baca (m. 21); 2-1, David Choiniere (d. 26); 3-1, Juan Escobar (d. 44)
Referee: Walter Lopez Ramos of Honduras. Admonished Kwasi Poku
Incidents: Second leg of the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions League played at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City
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