MIAMI, Florida – Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup is in the books and over the course of the 22 matches there were a number of top performances from young players, but the one who stood tallest was Chivas attacker Cade Cowell.
By virtue of his performances in the two legs against Forge FC, the 20-year-old Cowell is the 2024 Champions Cup On The Rise player for Round One.
Cowell took the tournament by storm in what was his first ever Champions Cup appearance. In the first leg affair between Chivas and Canadian Premier League side Forge FC, Cowell had a hand in all three Chivas goals, as the Guadalajara-based club took home a 3-1 victory, earning Cowell Player Of The Match honors.
Cowell opened up the scoring in the 26’ when he received a no-look pass from Fernando Gonzalez and hammered a left-footed shot into net for a 1-0 Chivas lead.
The former San Jose Earthquakes man then filled the role of playmaker on the second Chivas goal by serving up an inch-perfect cross for Ricardo Marin to head into net for a 2-1 Chivas advantage.
Cowell then bagged his second goal of the game by receiving a pass in behind the Forge defense and finishing with aplomb for a 3-1 Chivas lead in the 63’.
While he did not get on the scoresheet in the 2-1 Chivas victory in the second leg, Cowell was a pest for the Forge defense in taking three shots and completing 25 passes, while drawing his fair share of fouls.
No doubt it was a dream Champions Cup debut for a player who is destined for many more magical nights on Concacaf’s biggest club stage.
