We had several easy second legs for the majority of the MLS clubs that advanced into the Round of Sixteen, but in two of those games, we had an extra-time thriller; and a second-year MLS side knocked out by an old veteran. We are discussing the ending of the First Round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the Major League Soccer side.
Orlando City was back home to Inter&Co Stadium and took out Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League with three goals to one victory. All the goals came in the second half in the second leg as Nicolas Lodeiro scored the opener in the 48th minute. Cavalry FC pulled back an equalizer in the 64th minute when Myer Bevan got his side their first Champions Cup goal.
But Orlando City was able to retake the lead in the match as Ramiro Enrique got the match-winner in the 71st minute, and the final nail in the coffin came from Kyle Smith in the 88th minute. They prevented the Canadian Clubs from advancing to the next round.
Subaru Park had all the fireworks and excitement that all of us were hoping for as Deportivo Saprissa came to the ground along the Deleware River, looking to battle the Philadelphia Union and exact some form of revenge from the last time these two sides met in the Champions Cup. Saprissa, this time, opened the scoring with a nice rip by Luis Paradela in the 14th minute by equalizing the aggregate. Then, the Union came alive.
Julian Carranza covered the equalizer three minutes later and retook the aggregate lead. Quinn Sullivan converted in the 26th minute, and many thought the Union was back on top and ready to cruise, but Saprissa still had life, and they wanted to knock out their hosts as Warren Madrigal scored an equalizer in the 28th minute.
The second leg was at two all, while the Union still led on aggregate five goals to four until a free kick was delivered into the back of the net by Mariano Torres in the 62nd minute, and Deportivo Saprissa had the lead. But the away goals were tied at three a piece, and the aggregate tied at five all. Sadly, Jack Elliott was sent off in second-half stoppage time for a challenge from behind, and the Union went down to ten men.
But the hero to take the Union into the next round and lead on aggregate six to five was Mikael Uhre, as he smashed home the rebound in the 94th minute. Saprissa had a big moment to tie it up on aggregate again in the second half of extra time, but they hit the post and the crossbar in the same sequence. What a battle it was between these two clubs.
Or how about the match-up between two MLS Clubs, the Houston Dynamo and St. Louis City, each team attacking the other, trying to get that goal to see who would advance to the next round? It was a battle of the goalkeepers between Steve Clark and Roman Burki, who stood tall in the net. But, it was decided at the hour mark as Erik Sviatchenko converted his chance as the Dynamo's away goal in the first leg was the difference maker. They won the match one goal to nil, but the away goal was how they would advance.
FC Cincinnati was home at TQL Stadium and took out Cavalier FC from Jamaica methodically. A four goals to nil victory, and they would move on to the next round. Alvas Powell got the match-winner in the 19th minute, then Aaron Boupendza in the 34th minute made it two-nil. Isaiah Foster and Gerardo Valenzuela added their tallies in the second half to end the night.
Nashville FC hosted Dominican Republic side Moca FC, and it was no contest at Geodis Park. An easy night for the Music City side as McKinze Gaines opened the scoring in the 14th minute, with two goals from Foster Ajago and Jacob Shaffelburg converted in the 45th minute to ease themselves to the next round. Finally, the New England Revolution took on Club Atletico Independente of Panama.
Nacho Gil with the earlier tally in the 8th minute, then the second half was fruitful with two more goals, again by Tomas Chancalay and Mark Anthony Kaye in second-half stoppage time. They would advance to the next round and it should be a doozy as Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew will join the first-round winners along with Pachuca in the Round of 16.
2ND LEG FIRST ROUND RESULTS
ORLANDO CITY 3:1 CAVALRY FC (ORLANDO WINS ON AGGREGATE 6-1)
PHILADELPHIA UNION 3:3 DEPORTIVO SAPRISSA (PHILADELPHIA WINS IN EXTRA TIME AND ON AGGREGATE 6-5)
HOUSTON DYNAMO 1:0 ST. LOUIS CITY (HOUSTON WINS ON AWAY GOALS 1-0 AFTER 2-2 ON AGGREGATE)
FC CINCINNATI 4:0 CAVALIER FC (CINCINNATI WINS ON AGGREGATE 6-0)
NASHVILLE SC 4:0 MOCA FC (NASHVILLE WINS ON AGGREGATE 7-0)
NE REVOLUTION 3:0 CLUB ATLETICO INDEPENDENTE (NEW ENGLAND WINS AGGREGATE 4-0)
ROUND OF 16 MATCHUPS
CF PACHUCA (MEX) Vs. PHILADELPHIA UNION (USA)
SV ROBINHOOD (SUR) Vs. CS HEREDIANO (CRC)
CLUB AMERICA (MEX) Vs. GUADALJARA CHIVAS (MEX)
LD ALAJUELENSE (CRC) Vs.NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
COLUMBUS CREW (USA) Vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO (USA)
UNAL TIGRES (MEX) Vs. ORLANDO CITY (USA)
CF MONTERREY (MEX) Vs. FC CINCINNATI (USA)
INTER MIAMI (USA) Vs. NASHVILLE SC (USA)
Saw some entertaining football.
Some young players got a chance to play with the first teams and showed some fine moves.