Gudino the hero as header sends Tauro to quarterfinals

PANAMA CITY – Tauro are on their way to the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf League quarterfinals following a 1-1 draw with fellow Panamanian club Sporting San Miguelito in the second leg of the 2022 SCL Round of 16 on Tuesday night at the Estadio Universitario in Penonome, Panama.

Irving Gudino was the hero with a late header to give Tauro a 2-1 victory on aggregate.

Sporting San Miguelito came out on the hunt in search of a goal, but it was a moment of genius that delivered the equalizing goal for the visitors in the 32’. 

A ball was floated into the area where Tomas Rodriguez pulled off an exquisite touch with his foot, sending a behind-the-back pass over his shoulder to the waiting Edson Samms, whose shot took a slight deflection off defender Gerardo Negrete and entered goal for a 1-0 Sporting San Miguelito lead.

With the series level, the next goal would be pivotal and Sporting San Miguelito’s Dwann Oliveira nearly got it with a thumping strike from outside the area that went blazing wide in the 43’.

Tauro came just as close a few seconds shy of the hour mark on a Miguel Camargo free kick that Sporting San Miguelito GK Jorginho Frias tipped over the crossbar.

Tauro continued to gather steam and the tie-tilting goal would arrive in the 78’, with Hiberto Peralta curling in a cross that met the flashing Irving Gudino, who spun a header into net to level the match 1-1 and swing the aggregate in Tauro’s favor to 2-1.

Tauro were then able to close things out to nail down the result and a place in the next round.