Reigning Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles FC grabbed a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League final with a 3-0 win over the visiting Philadelphia Union on Tuesday in the second leg of their semifinal series.
Timothy Tillman (13th minute), Kwadwo Opoku (82nd minute) and Denis Bouanga (90th minute) were the goal scorers for LAFC, who advanced with a 4-1 aggregate victory.
The teams had played to a 1-1 draw last week in Chester, Pa., during the first leg of their two-leg, total-goal series.
LAFC will face off in the two-leg finale against a team from Mexico, either Tigres UANL or Leon. In their semifinal series, Tigres bring a 2-1 lead into the second leg at Leon on Wednesday.
The dates of the final have yet to be announced.
For the opening goal on Tuesday, LAFC’s Carlos Vela delivered a corner kick that teammate Ilie Sanchez headed on net. Union goalie Andre Blake made the save, but Tillman banged home the rebound from close range.
Philadelphia saw its comeback chances diminished when Olivier Mbaizo was sent off after he received a second yellow card in the 59th minute. He previously was booked in the 41st minute.
In the 82nd minute, Vela was Los Angeles’ provider again. An unmarked Vela delivered a through ball to Opoku, who fired a 12-yard shot past Blake and inside the far post.
Bouanga capped the rout when he ran onto a pass from Jose Cifuentes into the penalty area and beat Blake with a shot from close to the penalty spot.
–Field Level Media
