Anangono’s historic night earns SCL title for Comunicaciones

CIUDAD GUATEMALA, Guatemala – Juan Anangono produced the finest performance in Scotiabank Concacaf League Final history with a hat trick and an assist to guide Guatemala’s Comunicaciones to a comeback 4-2 win over Motagua of Honduras in the 2021 SCL Final second leg on Tuesday night at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City.

The win earned the Cremas a 6-3 victory on aggregate and their first SCL title. Comunicaciones are also the first club from Guatemala to claim an SCL crown.

But the story of the night was Anangono, who became the first player in SCL Final history to score a hat trick. Anangono finished the tournament as its top scorer with six goals.

Down 2-1 on aggregate, it was imperative for Motagua to get off to a strong start and that’s just what they did, with Roberto Moreira giving his side an early 1-0 lead in the 4’ when Kevin Lopez curled in a cross and Moreira was there to smack a header into net.

The visiting Catrachos had all the momentum and Lopez would serve up another impeccable cross to produce a goal for his team, this time with a looping ball that Marco Tulio Vega met with a header to make it 2-0 in the 27’.

Comunicaciones would soon regroup, though, and Anangono was the right man at the right place in the 42’ to steer home a deflection to make it a 2-1 Motagua lead in the game and 3-3 on aggregate in the tie.

It was now all Comunicaciones and in the final seconds before halftime, Anangono would put on his Superman cape again and guide a header into goal to bring the Guatemalan hosts level 2-2 in the game, giving them a 4-3 advantage on aggregate.

Anangono then got to play the role of provider in the 54’ by leading a break early in the second half that ended with the Ecuadorian slipping in a pass to Junior Lacayo, who finished for their first lead of the night, 3-2.

Anangono would then complete his historic night in the 66’ by getting on the end of a cross from the left and slotting home a right-footed shot to make it 4-2, a lead that Comunicaciones would hold until the final whistle to clinch the crown.