MIAMI, Florida – Panamanian side CA Independiente will feel a sense of familiarity when they line up against the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS) in Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
It is just the second ever appearance for CAI in the tournament. The first one produced a run that will forever live in club lore and MLS opposition was a big part of it.
It was in 2019 when CAI took to the Champions Cup stage for the first time in their history, and staring them straight in the face to begin the tournament in the Round of 16 was Toronto FC, the runners-up from the previous year who came within a whisker of claiming the title.
The first leg in Panama was a 90-minute dream for CAI. Not only did they get their first taste of the bright lights of the Champions Cup, but they posted a spectacular 4-0 win in front of their ecstatic home fans
From start to finish, CAI were in command. An early goal from Abdiel Ayarza had the Canalero club off and running, and over the course of the second half, they tacked on another three goals through Omar Browne and a brace from Romeesh Ivey.
It was time for CAI to experience their first away fixture in Champions Cup play and they traveled the long distance to Toronto for what would be a second leg played in bitterly cold temperatures.
Jordan Hamilton’s goal in the 19th minute gave Toronto FC belief, but CAI doubled down on their defensive efforts and kept the hosts at bay the rest of the way. They then put the series win on ice with Browne’s 1-1 equalizer in the 67’ to give CAI a convincing 5-1 triumph on aggregate.
Next up in the quarterfinal round was another MLS opponent, Sporting Kansas City, and Browne and Ivey continued their scorching start to the tournament in the first leg in Panama with Browne assisting on Ivey’s opening goal in the 39th minute.
Sporting Kansas City pulled level on an Ilie Sanchez penalty conversion in the 51st, but right back came CAI with Alexis Corpas supplying the game-winning goal in the 59th minute on a sensational right-footed strike from distance for a 2-1 first leg victory.
The second leg in Kansas City was the scene of some great drama and at the center of it was CAI GK Jose Guerra, who time and again turned away Sporting Kansas City’s best efforts at scoring through much of the match.
Guerra finished the night with an astounding 11 saves, but a pair of goals from Krisztian Nemeth sandwiching a Roger Espinoza strike in a nine-minute span late in the second half resulted in a 3-0 Sporting Kansas City victory and a 4-2 win on aggregate for the MLS side.
Overall, though, CAI’s first Champions Cup campaign ended with a 2W-1D-1L record, with seven goals scored and five against.
On February 21 in the first leg in Panama, a new edition of CAI players will aim to evoke memories of the team’s run from five years ago and once again vanquish MLS opposition on home soil.
