Club Leon downs LAFC to claim first ever CONCACAF crown
Club Leon are champions of the 2023 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League after defeating Los Angeles FC 1-0 in the final second leg on Sunday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
With the win, Club Leon defeated LAFC 3-1 on aggregate to claim their first ever CONCACAF crown, CONCACAF said.
“It was an electric start between the two sides and a goal would go Club Leon’s way in the 20’ with Ivan Moreno from the right-wing finding Lucas Di Yorio, whose knuckling shot beat LAFC GK John McCarthy for a 1-0 Club Leon lead,” CONCACAF said.
It said Club Leon was finding space in the wide channels, and it led to another two chances just minutes after Di Yorio’s goal, only to see those efforts sail wide.
CONCACAF said LAFC eventually were able to regroup and start generating some chances of their own, one on a Denis Bouanga free kick that required a save from Club Leon GK Rodolfo Cota, and the other a Diego Palacios effort in the 41’ that skidded just wide of the post.
As play drifted into the second half, CONCA CAF said LAFC began to commit more numbers forward in search of a goal to get back to within one on aggregate, including an Aaron Long header that missed wide in the 65’.
“Club Leon never wavered, as they absorbed the LAFC pressure but never allowed the home side to cause any big trouble going forward,” CONCACAF said.
