MIAMI, Florida – The race for a prized spot in the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League semifinals continues with the quarterfinal first leg between the New England Revolution and Mexican side Pumas on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It will be the first SCCL home match for the Revolution since the inaugural edition in 2008-09 and the reigning MLS Supporters Shield winners would like nothing more than to deliver a win for the home fans.
Most of the New England squad do not have SCCL experience, but there are two players in FW Jozy Altidore and DF Omar Gonzalez that have a wealth of SCCL games under their respective belts. Altidore came within a whisker of lifting the trophy in 2018 with Toronto FC, while Gonzalez won the 2016-17 SCCL title with Liga MX side Pachuca.
The experience of those two will be a plus for a team that has plenty of ways to hurt opponents, beginning with MF and reigning MLS Most Valuable Player Carles Gil, who collected 18 assists during the 2021 season. Then there is a dynamic duo on the forward line in Gustavo Bou and Adam Buska, the latter with 17 goals during the 2021 season.
Those players and more will be needed against a dangerous Pumas side that scored six goals against Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica in the Round of 16.
Juan Dinenno led the way with three goals in that series, while Washington Corozo, Arturo Ortiz and Rogerio also found the back of the net against the Ticos.
Half of the six goals scored by Pumas were assisted by the ever-dangerous Alan Mozo, who has emerged as one of Mexican football’s best playmakers.
While there is a long history between Liga MX and U.S. teams in the SCCL, Pumas have played just four matches against U.S. opponents, with a 2W-1D-1L record, while Wednesday’s contest marks the first encounter versus a Liga MX team in the SCCL for New England.
