SAN NICOLÁS DE LOS GARZA – Andre-Pierre Gignac scored two goals while Luis Quinones had a goal and three assists as Liga MX side Tigres defeated Motagua of Honduras 5-0 in the second leg of the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals on Thursday night at the Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico.
Gignac now has 16 career SCCL goals, while Quinones notched his fifth, sixth and seventh career SCCL quarterfinal assists in addition to his score.
The result earned Tigres a 6-0 win on aggregate and a spot in the semifinals against fellow Liga MX side Club Leon.
Tigres were in control from the start and finally broke the deadlock in the 27’ on a goal from Gignac for a 1-0 lead. Quinones picked up another quarterfinal assist by cutting a pass back to Gignac and the Frenchman scored with a powerful right-footed finish from outside the area.
There was no let-up from the home side and they had several good cracks at doubling their advantage before halftime, only to be denied by the shot-stopping of Motagua GK Jonathan Rougier.
Tigres stayed on the front foot as play drifted into the second half, but were still lacking a second goal for insurance, and slowly Motagua started to gain some confidence and get forward into the Tigres half.
It was at that moment that Gignac would once again appear to put the tie essentially on ice by running onto a long ball from Rafael Carioca, touching the ball past Rougier and sweeping into net for a 2-0 lead in the 66’.
Quinones then had a hand in the final three goals of the night, first getting his name on the scoresheet in the 83’ with a strong left-footed effort from the top of the box.
He then got his second assist of the night with a ball into Jesus Angulo, who took a slight touch and steered home a shot past Rougier to make it 4-0 in the 88’.
The night was then capped in the 90’ when Quinones filtered a pass into Nicolas Ibanez, who finished with aplomb to complete the 5-0 scoreline.
