MIAMI, Florida – There should be plenty of goalscoring fireworks on Wednesday night as Columbus Crew SC welcome in Monterrey for the first leg of their 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Both teams are coming off of decisive wins in the Round of 16. Columbus used a 4-0 win away from home to help defeat Nicaragua’s Real Esteli 5-0 on aggregate, while Monterrey posted back-to-back three-goal games in a 6-1 aggregate victory against Atletico Pantoja of the Dominican Republic.
Columbus were led by FW Gyasi Zardes in the previous round, as the United States international scored a pair of goals in their first leg victory against the Pinoleros. Also helping the cause was the playmaking of MF Lucas Zelarayan, and the Argentine will be called on again to spearhead the Columbus attack against Rayados.
The Liga MX side will be a familiar foe to Zelarayan, who spent four years at Monterrey’s city rival Tigres and even faced Rayados in the Final of the 2019 SCCL as a member of the Felinos.
But there is just something about the SCCL knockout rounds that bring out the best in Monterrey. In each of the four previous occasions in which Monterrey have reached the knockout stage of the SCCL, they have gone on to lift the trophy.
That run of success will be put to the test though against the reigning MLS Cup champions and a team determined to reach their first ever SCCL semifinal.
Standing in the way of Columbus though is a Monterrey team boasting plenty of talent and success, including the likes of FW Dorlan Pabon, DF Miguel Layun and FW Vincent Janssen.
