Despite playing the final 74 minutes with a man advantage, the Colorado Rapids could manage just a 1-0 win over Guatemalan side Comunicaciones on Wednesday in Commerce City, Colo., and the visitors won a penalty shootout to advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Comunicaciones won the first leg 1-0 in Guatemala City on Feb. 17, so the two-leg, total-goal series finished tied 1-1.
In the shootout, which lasted seven rounds, Comunicaciones emerged with a 4-3 win. Nicolas Samayoa delivered the winning shot after the Rapids missed each of their final three attempts and four overall.
Comunicaciones’ Stheven Robles received a straight red card in the 16th minute for a tackle that caught Colorado’s Auston Trusty above the knee. Max Alves scored for the Rapids in the 29th minute.
New York City FC 4, Santos de Guapiles 0
Talles Magno scored a pair of second-half goals as the MLS champions sealed a victory over their Costa Rican opponents and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League in a game played at Los Angeles.
Alfredo Morales and Maxime Chanot had first-half goals for NYCFC that essentially wrapped up a trip to the next round. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson did not need to make a save while earning the shutout.
NYCFC finished the matchup with a 6-0 victory on aggregate after earning a 2-0 decision over Santos at San Jose, Costa Rica, on Feb. 15 when Valentin Castellanos scored a pair of goals.
The Wednesday game was played at the home of Los Angeles City FC after a CONCACAF-approved venue was not available in the New York area. The Los Angeles area was selected since NYCFC opens the MLS regular season at the LA Galaxy on Sunday.
Morales scored the opening goal in the 32nd minute and Chanot piled on in the 36th minute. Santos’ Alvin Bennett received a red card in the 83rd minute — during a stretch that saw Magno put an exclamation point on the victory with goals in the 80th and 86th minutes.
CF Montreal 3, Santos Laguna 0
The Canadian champions pulled in front with two first-half goals and sealed the victory with another as the second half to knock out the Liga MX side in Montreal.
Santos Laguna had won the first leg 1-0 on Feb. 15 in Torreon, Mexico.
Romell Quioto (ninth minute), Djordje Mihailovic (22nd) and Ismael Kone (61st) were the goal-scorers for Montreal. Sebastian Breza made two saves to post the shutout victory.
–Field Level Media
