First semifinal at Club Leon’s fingertips in Haiti’s Violette visit

Liga MX side Club Leon was expected to stamp its place in a first ever Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL) semifinal when it meets Violette AC of Haiti in their 2023 SCCL quarterfinal second leg Tuesday night at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago, Dominican Republic, according to CONCACAF.

It said on Monday that Club Leon emerged as 5-0 winners in last week’s first leg in Mexico to all “but secure their place in the final four of the tournament for the first time in SCCL era.”

CONCACAF said one of the stars of the night for La Fiera in the first leg was Victor Davila, who scored two goals on six shots.

“Aiding the cause was Lucas Romero with 47 completed passes, an assist and a ball recovery, while veteran attacker Elias Hernandez added to his legacy as Club Leon’s all-time top scorer in the SCCL with his fifth career goal, making him the only player to have scored in the last three editions of the SCCL,” CONCACAF said.

“Club Leon can also take solace in the fact that no team has ever come back from a five-goal deficit to win a two-legged series in the history of the SCCL, but the Mexican visitors will still need to be wary of the offensive talent possessed by the Haitians,” it added.

In their last SCCL game at the Estadio Cibao, CONCACAF said Violette defeated Austin FC 3-0 in the Round of 16 first leg on the strength of a Miche-Naider Chery brace, adding that “no doubt that the Violette attacker will be keen to add to his tournament tally.”

CONCACAF said Steeven Saba in midfield also provides “ample support going forward for Violette, having made three ball recoveries in the first leg while completing 97 percent of his passes.”