2023 CONCACAF Champions League final

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2023 CONCACAF Champions League final
Event2023 CONCACAF Champions League
León Los Angeles FC
Mexico United States
3 1
First leg
León Los Angeles FC
2 1
DateMay 31, 2023 (2023-05-31)
VenueEstadio León, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
RefereeWalter López (Guatemala)
Attendance20,517
WeatherPartly cloudy, 88 °F (31 °C)
Second leg
Los Angeles FC León
0 1
DateJune 4, 2023 (2023-06-04)
Venue
2024
(Champions Cup) →

The 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final round of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, the 15th and final edition of the CONCACAF Champions Cup under the Champions League name, and overall the 58th edition of the premier club soccer competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional governing body of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The final was contested in a

aggregate
.

Venues

United States Los Angeles Mexico León
BMO Stadium Estadio León
Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 31,297

Road to the final

Further information: 2023 CONCACAF Champions League

Both teams in the final had yet to win a CONCACAF Champions League, but previously reached the finals in previous editions. León and Los Angeles FC last played each other in the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League's round of 16, which LAFC won 3–2 on aggregate.[1][2]

León

Club León previously qualified for the final round of the 1993 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, but lost in the round-robin group to Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa on goal difference.[3] They had some league success in the 2010s and qualified for multiple editions of the CONCACAF Champions League, but were eliminated in three consecutive years by MLS teams. Their best finish during this stretch came in the 2022 edition, where they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champions Seattle Sounders FC.[4] León qualified for the 2023 edition—their fifth in the continental tournament—as the runners-up in the 2021 Apertura playoffs in Liga MX.[5]

The team were drawn against Panamanian side Tauro in the round of 16 and won 1–0 in the first leg, which was played in Panama City. Iván Moreno scored the lone goal of the match in the 55th minute from close range after receiving a deflected ball from a Tauro defender.[6] León won 2–0 in the second leg to advance 3–0 on aggregate to the quarterfinals; Brian Rubio and Elías Hernández both scored in the first half.[7]

In the quarterfinals, León played Haitian side

upset victory against Austin FC of MLS in the previous round. In the first leg at Estadio León, the hosts won 5–0 with a brace from Víctor Dávila in the second half and two goals in stoppage time.[8] The team lost 2–1 in the second leg, conceding twice to Violette's Miche-Naider Chéry, but advanced 6–2 on aggregate to their first semifinals.[9]

León met fellow Liga MX side Tigres in the semifinals and played away in the first leg. Dávila opened the scoring in the fifth minute, but a pair of goals created by Tigres winger Luis Quiñones near halftime gave the hosts a 2–1 win.[10] During the first 15 minutes of the second leg, Fidel Ambríz and Ángel Mena scored for León to take the lead on aggregate. Raymundo Fulgencio equalized for Tigres, but a 79th-minute strike by Adonis Frías from a corner kick clinched a 3–1 win and 4–3 aggregate victory for León.[11]

Los Angeles FC

See also: 2023 Los Angeles FC season

final, which had been delayed to December due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was played in Orlando, Florida. LAFC lost 2–1 to Tigres UANL, becoming the fourth MLS team and second from the United States to finish as runners-up under the modern Champions League format.[12][13]

As

hat-trick scored by Denis Bouanga.[16] LAFC lost 2–1 in the second leg at home but advanced with a 4–2 aggregate score.[17]

In the quarterfinals, LAFC faced fellow MLS side

penalty kick and close range in the first half—and was joined after half-time by José Cifuentes, who entered as a substitute and struck both posts with his goal.[19]

The semifinal was a rematch of the MLS Cup final played five months earlier between LAFC and the Philadelphia Union, who had also finished as runners-up in the Supporters' Shield race.[20] A league fixture for LAFC was rescheduled to accommodate the semifinal series as well as potential advancement to the final.[21] LAFC drew 1–1 in the first leg and won 3–0 in the second leg to advance from the semifinals. They became the first MLS team to advance to a second Champions League final under the current format.[22] LAFC's league matches against St. Louis City SC and Atlanta United FC were rescheduled due to conflicts with the two legs of the final as well as the 2023 U.S. Open Cup.[23][24]

Summary of results

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: Home; A: Away).
United States Los Angeles FC Round Mexico León
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg   Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Costa Rica Alajuelense 4–2 3–0 (A) 1–2 (H) Round of 16 Panama Tauro 3–0 1–0 (A) 2–0 (H)
Canada Vancouver Whitecaps FC 6–0 3–0 (A) 3–0 (H) Quarterfinals Haiti Violette 6–2 5–0 (H) 1–2 (A)
United States Philadelphia Union 4–1 1–1 (A) 3–0 (H) Semifinals Mexico UANL 4–3 1–2 (A) 3–1 (H)

Format

The final will be played in a home-and-away

away goals will not be a tiebreaker in the second leg. Instead, 30 minutes of extra time (divided into 15-minute periods) is played if the match is tied after regulation time; a sixth substitute is also permitted during extra time. Additional substitutions are permitted for players showing signs of a concussion or a traumatic head injury after up to three minutes of evaluation by a medical officer. If the score is still tied after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 12.8).[25]

Performance ranking

In the final, the finalist which has the better performances in previous rounds host the second leg.


Matches

First leg

Details

22:00 (20:00 UTC−6)
León Mexico2–1United States Los Angeles FC
 Report
Bouanga
90+6'
Attendance: 20,517
GK 30 Mexico Rodolfo Cota
RB 3
Iván Moreno
CB 21 Colombia Jaine Barreiro Yellow card 90+8'
CB 22 Argentina Adonis Frías Yellow card 43'
LB 6 Colombia William Tesillo (c) Yellow card 33'
RM 13 Ecuador Ángel Mena downward-facing red arrow 63'
CM 26 Mexico Fidel Ambríz
CM 29 Argentina Lucas Romero Yellow card 65'
LM 19 Colombia Yairo Moreno downward-facing red arrow 8'
CF 7 Chile Víctor Dávila downward-facing red arrow 85'
CF 20 Mexico Alfonso Alvarado downward-facing red arrow 63'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Mexico Alfonso Blanco
GK 40 Mexico Óscar García
DF 23 Ecuador Byron Castillo
DF 24 Mexico Osvaldo Rodríguez upward-facing green arrow 63'
DF 25 Mexico Paul Bellón
MF 8 Mexico José Iván Rodríguez
MF 11 Mexico Elías Hernández upward-facing green arrow 8' downward-facing red arrow 63'
MF 12 Costa Rica Joel Campbell upward-facing green arrow 63'
MF 27 Mexico Jesús Angulo
FW 15 Mexico Brian Rubio upward-facing green arrow 85'
FW 18 Argentina Lucas Di Yorio upward-facing green arrow 63'
Manager:
Argentina Nicolás Larcamón
GK 77 United States John McCarthy
RB 24 United States Ryan Hollingshead Yellow card 45+4' downward-facing red arrow 60'
CB 2 Honduras Denil Maldonado Yellow card 45'
CB 33 United States Aaron Long
LB 12 Ecuador Diego Palacios
RM 11 United States Timothy Tillman downward-facing red arrow 85'
CM 6 Spain Ilie Sánchez downward-facing red arrow 68'
LM 20 Ecuador José Cifuentes Yellow card 89'
RF 22 Ghana Kwadwo Opoku downward-facing red arrow 60'
CF 10 Mexico Carlos Vela (c)
LF 99
Dénis Bouanga
Substitutes:
GK 1 Switzerland Eldin Jakupović
DF 18 Mexico Erik Dueñas upward-facing green arrow 85'
DF 30 Spain Sergi Palencia upward-facing green arrow 60'
DF 80 United States Julian Gaines
MF 17 Peru Daniel Crisostomo
MF 19 Poland Mateusz Bogusz upward-facing green arrow 68'
MF 23 United States Kellyn Acosta
FW 7 Croatia Stipe Biuk upward-facing green arrow 60'
FW 27 Mexico Nathan Ordaz
Manager:
United States Steve Cherundolo

Assistant referees:
Luis Aroldo Ventura (Guatemala)
Humberto Panjoj (Guatemala)
Fourth official:
Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
Video assistant referee:
Drew Fischer (Canada)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Guillermo Pacheco Larios (Mexico)

Second leg

Details

Los Angeles FC United States0–1Mexico León
Report
Attendance: 22,413
GK 77 United States John McCarthy
RB 30 Spain Sergi Palencia downward-facing red arrow 56'
CB 3 Colombia Jesús David Murillo Yellow card 75'
CB 14 Italy Giorgio Chiellini downward-facing red arrow 46'
CB 33 United States Aaron Long downward-facing red arrow 69'
LB 12 Ecuador Diego Palacios Yellow card 19'
CM 6 Spain Ilie Sánchez Yellow card 32' downward-facing red arrow 63'
CM 23 United States Kellyn Acosta
RF 10 Mexico Carlos Vela (c) Yellow card 52' downward-facing red arrow 64'
CF 99
Dénis Bouanga
LF 19 Poland Mateusz Bogusz
Substitutes:
GK 1 Switzerland Eldin Jakupović
DF 2 Honduras Denil Maldonado upward-facing green arrow 69'
DF 18 Mexico Erik Dueñas
DF 24 United States Ryan Hollingshead Yellow card 90' upward-facing green arrow 56'
DF 80 United States Julian Gaines
MF 11 United States Timothy Tillman upward-facing green arrow 63'
MF 17 Peru Daniel Crisostomo
MF 20 Ecuador José Cifuentes upward-facing green arrow 46'
FW 7 Croatia Stipe Biuk upward-facing green arrow 64'
FW 22 Ghana Kwadwo Opoku
FW 27 Mexico Nathan Ordaz
Manager:
United States Steve Cherundolo
GK 30 Mexico Rodolfo Cota
RB 3
Iván Moreno
 Yellow card 76' downward-facing red arrow 87'
CB 21 Colombia Jaine Barreiro Yellow card 19'
CB 22 Argentina Adonis Frías Yellow card 81'
LB 6 Colombia William Tesillo (c)
DM 29 Argentina Lucas Romero
RW 13 Ecuador Ángel Mena downward-facing red arrow 69'
AM 26 Mexico Fidel Ambríz Yellow card 80'
LW 11 Mexico Elías Hernández downward-facing red arrow 86'
CF 18 Argentina Lucas Di Yorio downward-facing red arrow 76'
CF 7 Chile Víctor Dávila
Substitutes:
GK 1 Mexico Alfonso Blanco
GK 40 Mexico Óscar García
DF 23 Ecuador Byron Castillo
DF 24 Mexico Osvaldo Rodríguez upward-facing green arrow 87'
DF 25 Mexico Paul Bellón
DF 34 Mexico Óscar Villa
MF 8 Mexico José Iván Rodríguez
MF 27 Mexico Jesús Angulo
MF 28 Mexico David Ramírez
FW 12 Costa Rica Joel Campbell Yellow card 90+9' upward-facing green arrow 69'
FW 15 Mexico Brian Rubio upward-facing green arrow 76'
FW 20 Mexico Alfonso Alvarado upward-facing green arrow 86'
Manager:
Argentina Nicolás Larcamón

References

  1. ^ Boehm, Charles (May 4, 2023). "LAFC aims to break new ground on Champions League run". US Soccer Players. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "LAFC, Leon's historical feats highlight best of SF 2nd legs". CONCACAF.com. May 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  3. ^ "Leon stun Tigres to set up LAFC showdown in CONCACAF Champions League final". ESPN. May 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  4. ^ Arnold, Jon (May 30, 2023). "Who are Club León? LAFC's CCL opponent aren't a grande but have big support". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "MLS, Liga MX seasons capped by thrilling penalty shootouts". CONCACAF.com. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  6. ^ "Moreno's strike holds up for Club Leon at Tauro". CONCACAF.com. March 9, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  7. ^ Diaz, Victor (March 16, 2023). "Concachampions: León gana sin complicaciones al Tauro y se mete a cuartos de final" [Champions League: León beats Tauros without complications and enters the quarterfinals]. Récord (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "Davila double helps move Club Leon closer to first semifinal". CONCACAF.com. April 5, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "Club Leon punch semifinal ticket despite loss at Violette". CONCACAF.com. April 12, 2023. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Martínez, Edgar (April 26, 2023). "Tigres take first-leg advantage over Club León in Concacaf Champions League semi-final". AS. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "El argentino Adonis Frías pone al León en la final de la Liga de Concacaf" [Argentine Adonis Frías puts León in the final of the Concacaf League]. Yahoo Deportes (in Spanish). EFE. May 3, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  12. ^ Thorrington, John (May 2, 2023). "LAFC aiming for CONCACAF Champions League title after heartbreaking 2020 run". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Straus, Brian (December 21, 2020). "LAFC Braces for CCL Final After Being Concacafed and Living to Tell About It". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Gross, Josh (March 8, 2023). "LAFC ready for the 'honor' of CONCACAF Champions League". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Baxter, Kevin (January 31, 2023). "LAFC is sending key forward Cristian Arango to Liga MX's Pachuca". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "Dénis Bouanga nets hat-trick, LAFC dominate Alajuelense in CCL opener". MLSsoccer.com. March 9, 2023. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  17. ^ Baxter, Kevin (March 15, 2023). "LAFC loses to Alajuelense but advances in CONCACAF Champions League". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  18. ^ Adams, J.J. (April 5, 2023). "LAFC 3, Whitecaps 0: Bouanga bounces Vancouver out of B.C. Place in first-leg victory". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  19. ^ Adams, J.J. (April 11, 2023). "LAFC 3, Whitecaps 0: Black and Gold leave Caps black and blue, eliminate them from CONCACAF Champions League". The Province. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  20. ^ Uribarri, Jaime (May 1, 2023). "Winner gets Liga MX: LAFC, Philadelphia Union enter decisive CCL semifinal". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  21. ^ Gross, Josh (May 1, 2023). "LAFC has no margin for error in CONCACAF Champions League semifinal with Philadelphia". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  22. ^ Baxter, Kevin (May 2, 2023). "LAFC makes history by advancing to CONCACAF Champions League final". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  23. ^ "LAFC Announces Date Change For Home Match Against St. Louis CITY SC" (Press release). Los Angeles FC. May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "LAFC Announces Date Change For Home Match Against Atlanta United" (Press release). Los Angeles FC. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  25. ^ "SCCL Regulations 2023" (PDF). CONCACAF. pp. 24–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2023.

External links

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