PENONOME – A place in the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf League semifinals and a berth in the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League will be at stake on Wednesday night when Panamanian club Tauro host Motagua of Honduras in the second leg of their 2022 SCL quarterfinal series at the Estadio Universitario in Penonome, Panama.
The two sides played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg last week in Honduras, leaving things wide open going into Wednesday’s encounter.
Motagua can look to some recent history in the SCL for an auspicious sign, as the last three times they played to a draw in the first leg of a series, they ended up advancing.
But they will be up against a Tauro side that has an experienced tactician in Francisco Perlo, a coach who has a 2W-5D-3L career record in the SCL as manager of Tauro and previously at Club Atletico Independiente of Panama.
For Tauro, a win would qualify them for their second SCL semifinal and they will be looking to the likes of Eric Hughes, Miguel Camargo and Gustavo Chara to make the difference. GK Hughes has nine saves thus far in the SCL and traces his SCL experience back to spells with Plaza Amador in 2017 and San Francisco in 2020.
Up top, Miguel Camargo is a dangerman, having taken four shots in the first leg, while Gustavo Chara is strong in midfield and had three ball recoveries in the first leg.
Motagua are taking aim at their fourth SCL semifinal and as the highest scoring and winningest team in tournament history, the opportunity is there on Wednesday to add to their legendary status.
GK Jonathan Rougier is sure to play a big part. No one has more clean sheets in SCL history (15) and with six saves already in the 2022 edition, he has the most SCL saves with 73.
Other key players will be Ivan Lopez, who had four shots in the first leg, and Hector Castellanos, a player that connected 131 passes in last week’s scoreless draw.
Game Notes, Stats Tauro FC vs FC Motagua
Match Officials Tauro FC vs FC Motagua
Referee: Jose Torres (PUR)
AR1: Henri Pupiro (NCA) AR2: Limanuel Sola (PUR)
4th Official: David Gomez (CRC)