Get In-Depth Sports Analysis & Coverage of your Local Teams with JustSports24 (Welcome to JustSports Today, we look at the highly ranked soccer tournament located in North America which is the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2019. The national teams from North and Central America, along with the Caribbean took part in a glory war of football clubs and were on display during each match played throughout the tournament. Here are some of the matches and storylines that defined the tournament, leading to what was a thrilling final meeting between Monterrey and Tigres UANL.
CONCACAF Champions Cup 2019 Preview
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The semifinals rolled around, and you could begin to sense that Liga MX was taking over the tournament. The semifinals were all-Mexican affairs with Monterrey facing Sporting Kansas City and Tigres UANL meeting Santos Laguna.
Monterrey vs. Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City in the semifinals and while it certainly wasn’t as tight or tense over two legs as some of these other series, Monterrey also didn’t need to find a precious away goal. They kicked off with a 5-0 rout at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, sparked by goals from Rogelio Funes Mori and Dorlan Pabón. Monterrey poured on the attacking pressure throughout as Kansas City had little response.
Monterrey hardly had to break a sweat during the second leg, as they cruised through at Children’s Mercy Park with a 5-2 win on the night and an emphatic 10-2 score over two legs. With a foot and then more in the final before they even lined up to play that match, Monterrey followed through on their postseason favorite status.
Tigres UANL vs. Santos Laguna
In the other semifinal clash, Tigres UANL squared off against Santos Laguna in a game that would be decided by penalties. Tigres took a commanding lead in the tie by winning the first leg 3-0 at home. But Santos would respond in the return leg at Estadio Corona, coming out with a 3-2 victory. Though they tried, Santos Laguna couldn’t bounce back and ran out of time in a 5-3 aggregate loss to Tigres.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup 2019 final was an all-Mexican Mexican affair as longtime Liga MX rivals Monterrey and Tigres UANL squared off. The match had all the makings of an epic final between two strong teams.
First Leg: Monterrey 1-0 on Aggression
The first part of the final was in Universitario Stadium, the home site for Tigres. The latter of those two teams claimed the advantage, winning 1-0 in Monterrey after Nicolás Sánchez scored with a glancing header. Monterrey, the historic berth kept to cover belonged a lead pound, one down of well-disciplined defensive play.
Liga MX- Second Leg: Monterrey Champion
It all ended with the return leg at Estadio BBVA, which was so close. Tigres fought hard and rose to level up the aggregate score with an absolute stunner of a scorcher from their talismanic French striker André-Pierre Gignac. Monterrey, however, answered with a quick goal by Rodolfo Pizarro to retake the aggregate lead.
Withstanding late pressure from Tigres, Monterrey survived and collected a 2-1 aggregate triumph to claim its fourth CONCACAF Champions Cup title. The win not only solidified Monterrey as one of the best clubs in that country but also gave it a chance to compete at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Monterrey’s Path to Redemption
The best of North American football were on display in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions Cup with Monterrey emerging as their deserving champions. They were solid in defense, brilliant going forward, and every inch of the team as they navigated difficult matches with their rivals
It would be another year in which Mexican clubs dominated the tournament, but better showings from MLS teams like Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City give hope moving forward.
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