CIUDAD PANAMA, Panama – Daniel Krutzen scored in second half stoppage time to earn Canadian Premier League side Forge FC a 2-1 victory over Panama’s Tauro FC in the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf League Round of 16 on Tuesday night at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, Panama.
The result snaps Tauro’s four-match home winning streak in the SCL and sends Forge to the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
Forge raced out of the gates and held a 1-0 lead in the 11’ when David Choiniere made a surging run on the right and sent a cross that took a deflection before landing at the right foot of Molham Babouli, who fired into net for the goal.
Tauro needed a response and in the 18’ they turned to star striker Edwin Aguilar, who received a ball over the top and finished with a strong right-footed shot to bring the hosts even, 1-1. For Aguilar, it was his 13th career goal in Concacaf competition.
Choiniere was proving a headache for the Tauro defense and the Forge playmaker almost got his side the lead again with a hard-hit shot that Tauro GK Luis Hurtado had to parry over the crossbar. That was followed by Alexander Achinioti-jonsson heading a corner kick onto the crossbar and out.
Early in the second half, Forge GK Triston Henry showed his skill when he was called upon to make a reaction save after a header from teammate David Edgar went awry.
An injury to Hurtado forced a change at GK for the hosts, so Jorginho Frias was summoned from the bench and made an astounding double-save on Christopher Nanco in the 63’.
Just when it looked like another penalty shootout would be needed to determine a winner, Forge substitute Anthony Novak was taken down in the area by Frias in the 90’, and the resulting penalty kick was calmly converted by Daniel Krutzen, giving Forge the dramatic 2-1 victory.