MIAMI, Florida – It should be a dramatic night on Wednesday when seven-time Concacaf champions Club America of Mexico host Real Esteli of Nicaragua in the second leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One series at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City.
Last week’s first leg in Nicaragua was as memorable as they come. For the first time in 39 Champions Cup matches, Real Esteli emerged victorious, doing so against the most decorated club in the history of the competition in a 2-1 final.
However, it was Club America who ended the match with momentum, as Julian Quinones scored in second half stoppage time to hand Las Aguilas a crucial away goal.
Now, Club America will look to complete their comeback at home in Mexico, and the last time they suffered a first leg defeat to a Central American opponent in a knockout round series, things ended positively for the Mexico City side.
In the 2014-15 Champions Cup, Club America memorably overturned a 3-0 deficit against Herediano of Costa Rica with a 6-0 win in the second leg.
In addition to Quinones, Club America can turn to players such as Diego Valdes and Santiago Naveda for help. Valdes registered two shots on target in the first leg and has three goals in six career Champions Cup matches, while Naveda completed 91 percent of his 77 passes in the first leg.
Playing away in the second leg while holding a one-goal advantage in a Concacaf tournament is familiar territory for Real Esteli.
In the quarterfinals and semifinals of the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup, the Nicaraguan side carried 1-0 advantages into their respective second legs against Saprissa of Costa Rica and CAI of Panama and came away with a draw in each scenario to advance.
Real Esteli will be in search of a similar result in Mexico City, and it will require another round of big-time performances from Byron Bonilla, Ebert Martinez and Douglas Forvis.
Bonilla scored the first Real Esteli goal from the penalty spot in last week’s first leg, Martinez had six ball recoveries and six clearances and GK Forvis made five saves to keep the Club America attack largely at bay.
Match Officials Club America (MEX) vs Real Esteli (NCA)
REF: ISMAIL ELFATH (USA)
AR1: KYLE ATKINS (USA)
AR2: COREY PARKER (USA)
4TH: PIERRE-LUC LAUZIÈRE (Canada)
VAR: DREW FISCHER (Canada)
VAR1: EKATERINA KOROLEVA (USA)
