Mexican powerhouse Club America will continue their quest to be crowned the best team in CONCACAF, as they defeated Deportivo Saprissa 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal series on Wednesday and advance to the tournament semifinal.
With the win, America are the only Mexican team left alive in the competition, a rarity considering the absolute dominance of teams from that country, who have won the title every year since 2006.
America, who entered the second leg with a 3-0 lead from last week's tie in Costa Rica, fielded a mix of starters and reserves, including young American defender Ventura Alvarado, and thoroughly dominated the game on the night, bettering Saprissa in all of the major statistical categories, and dictated the often-leisurely tempo of the match. Despite that, the game was not without the characteristic CCL physicality on both sides, with four yellow cards being handed out on the night.
America had the bulk of chances on the evening. Darwin Quintero looked to have a clear path to goal after receiving a ball in the box in the 9th minute, but the play was waived dead on an offside call. Replays showed the Colombian was well offside.
Saprissa had a promising free kick in the 32nd minute from about 30 yards, but the subsequent attempt, taken short just wide of goal, led to a tame shot that was ultimately off target.
Jose Antonio Madueña was tripped while trying to get into the box in the 37th minute, but the foul began outside the box and Saprissa avoided conceding a penalty. Osmar Mares' subsequent free kick was blocked by Saprissa's wall.
Two minutes later, Quintero's low driven shot from the left side of the box was saved by Saprissa goalkeeper Danny Carvajal.
America broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. Erik Pimentel's free kick near the corner recieved a headed flick from Oswaldo Martinez to the far post, and Jose Daniel Guerrero buried the chance from close range.
Mares tried to double America's lead on the night 12 minutes after the restart, but his headed chance at the far post was off frame.
Two-thirds of the way through the match, it looked like America had another golden opportunity to pad the margin, as substitutes Rubens Sambueza and Francisco Rivera linked up, the former sending a terrific diagonal pass with the outside of his left boot into Rivera right in front of goal, but Carvajal came out to block the shot almost as soon as it was taken. Four minutes later, Sambueza blazed a wide-open chance well over the target.
Mares finally scored America's second on the night, as he made a late run into the box to bury Rivera's deflected cross in the 80th minute.
The Liga MX side will await the outcome of the final CCL quarterfinal series, between another Costa Rican side, Herediano, and Honduran club Olimpia. The second leg of that series, tied 1-1 through the first leg, will resume on Thursday in Costa Rica. The semifinal series will begin in two weeks.
