Toluca vs. Sporting Kansas City - Game HighlightsHighlights: Watch the goals of @SportingKC's historic 2-0 victory in Mexico against @TolucaFC #SCCL2019
Posted by Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League on Thursday, February 28, 2019
Maybe playing in Mexico is becoming less daunting for Major League Soccer squads.
Sporting Kansas City made short work of Liga MX side Toluca Thursday night, winning on the road 2-0 in the second leg of a Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 series at the Estadio Nemesio Diez. The result sealed passage to the quarterfinals by a 5-0 margin on aggregate goals after a 3-0 home win last week.
The result was also significant because Sporting became the fifth MLS team to win a competitive game in Mexico and the third in the last two years to emerge victorious in the knockout round.
A year ago, the New York Red Bulls survived an onslaught to defeat Xolos, 2-0, in Tijuana in the opening leg of the quarterfinals. It was the first multi-goal win by an MLS team in Mexico — until Thursday night.
Toronto FC then won 2-1 after 90 minutes in the 2018 Champions League final second leg in Guadalajara, a result that forced a penalty kick shootout which ultimately saw Chivas emerge triumphant.
These are the other two MLS wins in Mexico:
- Aug. 17, 2011 -- Pumas UNAM 0, FC Dallas 1 (Estadio OlÃmpico Universitario, Mexico City - Group Stage)
- Aug. 23, 2011 -- Monterrey 0, Seattle Sounders 1 (Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey - Group Stage)
SKC’s two-legged dominance over reeling Toluca made more history.
Liga MX squads still have a distinct advantage at home, winning 41 of the 55 all-time competitive meetings. But MLS sides are 3W-3L-1D in the last seven CCL knockout round matches.
There are three more MLS-vs-Liga MX showdowns set for the CCL quarterfinals, with the Red Bulls meeting Santos Laguna, the Houston Dynamo taking on Tigres and Atlanta United tangling with Monterrey.
