Licona, Davila and Bouanga headline 2023 QF 1st leg Best XI

MIAMI, Florida – The 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals kicked off this week with an exciting slate of four matches. There were a number of excellent individual performances over the course of the games, yet these 11 players stood out the most at their respective positions.

GK Marlon Licona, Motagua – Licona was terrific for the Honduran side in making six saves to go along with two clearances in Motagua’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Tigres.

DF Damion Lowe, Philadelphia Union – For the second straight time Lowe etches his name into the SCCL Best XI for another top performance. The Jamaican had four steals and completed 88 percent of his passes in Philadelphia’s 1-0 win versus Atlas.

DF Jesus Murillo, Los Angeles FC – Murillo was an anchor on the LAFC back line in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at the Vancouver Whitecaps. He had two steals and completed 39 of his 41 passes.

DF Jesus Angulo, Tigres – Tigres emerged as winners in their visit to Motagua in Honduras thanks in part to the defensive display of Angulo, who had a steal and completed 93 percent of his passes.

MF Kellyn Acosta, Los Angeles FC – Acosta always brings his best on Concacaf nights and he did so again in the 3-0 win at Vancouver with a steal and 69 completed passes.

MF Ilie Sanchez, Los Angeles FC – Sanchez helped run the show in the LAFC midfield, making five steals on the defensive end, while completing 82 of 85 passes.

MF Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union – It was an active, busy night for McGlynn, as he registered three dangerous shots, took all six of the Union’s corner kicks and completed 94 percent of his passes.

MF Luis Quinones, Tigres – Quinones is historically a superstar performer in the SCCL quarterfinals and lived up to the billing in the 1-0 win at Motagua, scoring his team’s lone goal and completing 93 percent of his passes.

FW Daniel Gazdag, Philadelphia Union – Gazdag came through in a pressure-packed moment by converting a late penalty to give the Union their 1-0 win against Atlas. He finished the night with three shots.

FW Denis Bouanga, Los Angeles FC – Bouanga is playing in his first SCCL and has taken quite nicely to away legs. After a hat trick in the away leg in the Round of 16, Bouanga scored two spectacular goals and had an assist to power LAFC to the 3-0 win in Vancouver.

FW Victor Davila, Club Leon – It was also double the fun for Davila, with a pair of goals on six shots to pave the way for Club Leon’s 5-0 victory against Violette of Haiti.