MIAMI, Florida – The first leg matches of the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals are done and dusted with a number of standout moments from the four games.
Here are the top five moments from the week’s action.
47 seconds prove pivotal in Revs-Pumas
A second leg still remains between the New England Revolution and Pumas in their quarterfinal with New England leading 3-0, but a 47-second sequence from Wednesday’s first leg could prove decisive when all is said and done. In the 71st minute, Pumas looked set to equalize 1-1 and gain a critical away goal, only for Revolution GK Earl Edwards Jr. to make a big save. The resulting counterattack from New England ended 47 seconds later with Adam Buksa finding the back of the net. It would prove to be a huge swing in momentum and by the time the final whistle blows in next week’s second leg in Mexico, it could be looked back on as the moment that swung the series to the Revolution.
Antuna shining in Concacaf again
There is just something about the bright lights of Concacaf competition that bring out the best in Uriel Antuna. A player who scored a hat trick in his first ever Concacaf Gold Cup match in 2019 with the Mexican National Team and notched three goals for El Tricolor in the 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, Antuna brought that same Concacaf goalscoring pedigree to the SCCL, tallying the lone goal in Cruz Azul’s 1-0 win over CF Montreal. When it comes to Concacaf competition, few come through more often than Antuna.
Roldan a midfield masterclass for Seattle
The Seattle Sounders enjoyed one of their finest performances in SCCL history in a 3-0 win over Club Leon and a big part of that was Cristian Roldan. Seattle’s midfield maestro delivered a top performance by drawing a penalty scored by Fredy Montero and assisting on the two other goals. It was a commanding performance from the Sounders and at the heart of it was the ever-present Roldan.
Comunicaciones still in the hunt
Comunicaciones entered their Tuesday first leg against New York City FC having already made history as the first reigning Scotiabank Concacaf League champion to advance to the quarterfinals of the SCCL. While the Cremas went down in defeat 3-1 to NYCFC in the first leg, they stayed in the hunt with a crucial away goal scored by Manuel Gamboa. Now a chance to make even more history and become the first Guatemalan side to reach a SCCL semifinal could be there for the taking with a 2-0 home win thanks to Gamboa’s timely score.
MLS teams stand tall
The quest for a first ever SCCL title remains for teams from MLS, but the results of the past week could prove to be a turning point. MLS teams amassed a 3W-0D-1L record during the quarterfinal first legs, with nine goals scored and just two conceded. Perhaps the most significant results were the 3-0 wins for Seattle and New England against Liga MX opponents, Club Leon and Pumas, respectively. There remains a lot of football to be played in the 2022 SCCL, but MLS teams can certainly feel confident after the results they earned this week.
