MIAMI. - Columbus Crew SC will look to get a leg up in the first leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinal series against visiting Tigres UANL on Tuesday night at Lower.com Field in Columbus.
The two sides meet for the first time in the quarterfinals. This series pits two teams in the top six of the Concacaf Club Ranking Index.
The Crew entered the tournament in the previous round by virtue of their MLS Cup conquest last December. Crew SC is participating in the quarterfinals for a fifth time and is looking to advance to the semifinals for the first time.
Juan Camilo “Cucho” Hernández scored the series-winning goal for Columbus as the club tied 1-1 at home in the second leg of their Round of 16 series against Houston Dynamo. The U.S. league champions have an unbeaten streak of 9 matches when playing at home in Concacaf club play (W-4 D-5).
Unbeaten at home this year, Columbus will look to defend a record that includes league and international play. Crew SC is an impeccable 3-0-0 in MLS play, drawing in its only CCC encounter this season.
Tigres UANL will make the trip north with one of the most talented squads on the continent. André-Pierre Gignac is the club’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament with 18 goals and remains a talisman for the eight-time Mexican champions.
The Mexican club is making its 11th appearance in Concacaf club play and 8th participation in the quarterfinals. Tigres lifted the trophy in 2020 and finished second at the FIFA Club World Cup, a feat they aspire to match by winning the current edition.
Only once has Tigres been defeated by a U.S.-based club, back in the 2008/09 edition against the Seattle Sounders. Tigres UANL has won 10 out of its last 15 matches in the CCC and only lost one game during that stretch.
Tigres UNAL has a streak of 11 consecutive matches without losing (W-7 D-4) when facing MLS clubs. Playing away from home, Tigres has two consecutive draws away with Pierre Gignac scoring 3 of the last six goals against MLS opponents.
Match Officials Columbus Crew (USA) vs Tigres UANL (MEX)
REF: SELVIN BROWN (Honduras)
AR1: GERSON ORELLANA (Honduras)
AR2: ENMANUEL AGUIRRE (Nicaragua)
4TH: MARIO ESCOBAR (Guatemala)
VAR: DANEON PARCHMENT (Jamaica)
VAR1: TATIANA GUZMAN (Nicaragua)
