MIAMI, Florida – The second leg matches of the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 inspired some big performances. Here are the 11 players who stood out the most over the course of the last week.
GK Kevin Moscoso, Comunicaciones
Moscoso’s name will forever live in Comunicaciones lore after his standout performance in the narrow 1-0 second leg loss to Colorado. Moscoso made 12 saves in the match to limit the Rapids to a single score, forcing a penalty shootout in which he made three saves to earn the Guatemalan club a place in the quarterfinals. It was one of the best SCCL goalkeeping performances in recent memory.
DF Arturo Ortiz, Pumas
Ortiz seemingly did it all for Pumas in their 4-1 victory over Deportivo Saprissa. He scored the first goal for the Liga MX side and then also had a stellar defensive effort with two steals, while completing 96 percent of his passes.
DF Maxime Chanot, New York City FC
For the second week in a row the NYCFC center back makes the Best XI after anchoring another top defensive performance for NYCFC, who kept a second straight clean sheet in a 4-0 win against santos de Guapiles of Costa Rica. Chanot also had a goal and two steals in the effort.
DF Juan Escobar, Cruz Azul
Escobar showed off his versatility for Cruz Azul in getting forward to score La Maquina’s third goal of the night via header in the 3-1 win versus Forge FC of Canada. He also registered four shots and completed 89 percent of his passes.
MF Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
The United States international looked like he was in midseason form in helping the Seattle Sounders to a 5-0 triumph over Motagua of Honduras. Roldan scored a goal and had two assists while completing 35 of 39 passes.
MF Ismael Kone, CF Montreal
Kone was a workhorse in the Montreal midfield, recovering possession four different times for his side, while completing 93 percent of his passes and firing home a right-footed shot for a goal to complete Montreal’s 3-0 win against Santos Laguna.
MF Jose Contreras, Comunicaciones
Comunicaciones needed a leader in midfield when they went down a man in the 16th minute of their match with Colorado, and the veteran Contreras filled the void with another tireless performance. The 36-year-old made two steals, completed 24 of 29 passes and converted the first Comunicaciones penalty in their 4-3 shootout win.
MF Elias Hernandez, Club Leon
Hernandez was the main man for Club Leon for the second straight week by scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win against Guastatoya of Guatemala, while completing 80 percent of his passes.
FW Talles Magno, New York City FC
Santos de Guapiles simply had no answer for Magno, who recorded five shots and scored two goals in NYCFC’s 4-0 victory. The Brazilian also had a steal and completed 95 percent of his passes.
FW Romell Quioto, CF Montreal
There is something about the bright lights of the SCCL that brings out the best in Quioto and he did it again in Montreal’s 3-0 win over Santos with some fantastic footwork and movement to score the first Montreal goal, before supplying the assist on the second. Quioto’s goal was the sixth of his SCCL career.
FW Juan Dinenno, Pumas
Dinenno made it two weeks in a row with a goal on the board for Pumas and did so in style in the 4-1 win versus Saprissa, with a brace in a span of seven second half minutes, making him the current top scorer in the 2022 SCCL with three goals.
