2015 CONCACAF Champions League final

2015 CONCACAF Champions League final
Event2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League
América Montreal Impact
Mexico Canada
5 3
on aggregate
First leg
América Montreal Impact
1 1
Date22 April 2015
VenueEstadio Azteca, Mexico City
RefereeHéctor Rodríguez (Honduras)
Attendance56,783
Second leg
Montreal Impact América
2 4
Date29 April 2015
VenueOlympic Stadium, Montreal
RefereeHenry Bejarano (Costa Rica)
Attendance61,004
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2016 →

The 2015 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final of the 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, the 7th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format, and overall the 50th edition of the premium football club competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional governing body of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Mexico's América and Canada's Montreal Impact. The first leg was hosted by América at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 22 April 2015, while the second leg was hosted by the Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on 29 April 2015.[1] The winner earned the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage.[2]

After a 1–1 first leg,[3] América won the second leg 4–2 to win their sixth overall CONCACAF club title.[4]

Background

[edit]

For only the second time in seven seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final featured a non-Mexican team, with the only previous occasion where it was not an all-Mexican final being in 2011, where Real Salt Lake lost to Monterrey.[5][6]

This was the first final of América in the CONCACAF Champions League era, but they had won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup title five times (1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2006). They were aiming to equal Cruz Azul's record of six CONCACAF club titles which was set in 2014's final.

Montreal Impact was the first Canadian team to reach a CONCACAF club final. They were aiming to become the first non-Mexican team to win in the CONCACAF Champions League era, and the third Major League Soccer team to win the CONCACAF club title after D.C. United (1998) and LA Galaxy (2000).

Road to the final

[edit]
Further information: 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Mexico América Round Canada Montreal Impact
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Bye Matchday 1 El Salvador FAS 1–0 (H)
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Bayamón 6–1 (H) Matchday 2 El Salvador FAS 3–2 (A)
Guatemala Comunicaciones 1–1 (A) Matchday 3 Bye
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Bayamón 10–1 (A) Matchday 4 United States New York Red Bulls 1–0 (H)
Bye Matchday 5 Bye
Guatemala Comunicaciones 2–0 (H) Matchday 6 United States New York Red Bulls 1–1 (A)
Group 8 winner

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Mexico América 4 3 1 0 19 3 +16 10 Advance to championship stage
2 Guatemala Comunicaciones 4 2 1 1 8 3 +5 7
3 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Bayamón 4 0 0 4 2 23 −21 0
Source: CONCACAF
 Final standings Group 3 winner

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Canada Montreal Impact 4 3 1 0 6 3 +3 10 Advance to championship stage
2 United States New York Red Bulls 4 1 2 1 3 2 +1 5
3 El Salvador FAS 4 0 1 3 2 6 −4 1
Source: CONCACAF
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Championship stage Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Costa Rica Saprissa 5–0 3–0 (A) 2–0 (H) Quarterfinals Mexico Pachuca 3–3 (a) 2–2 (A) 1–1 (H)
Costa Rica Herediano 6–3 0–3 (A) 6–0 (H) Semifinals Costa Rica Alajuelense 4–4 (a) 2–0 (H) 2–4 (A)

Rules

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The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule would be used if the aggregate score was level after normal time of the second leg, but not after extra time, and so the final would be decided by penalty shoot-out if the aggregate score was level after extra time of the second leg.[2]

Matches

[edit]

First leg

[edit]

Montreal Impact took the lead in the 16th minute after Ignacio Piatti received a pass from Dominic Oduro to shoot home inside the penalty area. América equalized in the 89th minute, as half-time substitute Oribe Peralta, who was subbed on for Martinez, headed in Rubens Sambueza's free kick. Shortly after the equalizer, Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush was shown a yellow card for kicking the ball Paul Aguilar, however, replays show that Aguilar jumped in front of the ball as Bush was kicking it away. Aguilar then proceeded to punch Bush in the face, which went unpunished. This yellow card was crucial, as it suspended Bush for the second leg of the final.[3][7][8]

América Mexico1–1Canada Montreal Impact
Peralta 88' Report Piatti 16'
Attendance: 56,783[9][10][11]
América
Montreal Impact
GK 23 Mexico Moisés Muñoz
DF 22 Mexico Paul Aguilar Yellow card 89'
DF 4 Mexico Erik Pimentel
DF 12 Paraguay Pablo Aguilar
DF 6 Paraguay Miguel Samudio
MF 5 Argentina Cristian Pellerano downward-facing red arrow 70'
MF 10 Paraguay Osvaldo Martínez Yellow card 45' downward-facing red arrow 46'
MF 11 Ecuador Michael Arroyo
MF 14 Argentina Rubens Sambueza (c)
FW 3 Colombia Darwin Quintero
FW 9 Argentina Darío Benedetto downward-facing red arrow 80'
Substitutions:
GK 1 Mexico Hugo González
MF 8 Mexico Moisés Velasco
DF 15 Mexico Osmar Mares
MF 21 Mexico José Guerrero upward-facing green arrow 70'
FW 24 Mexico Oribe Peralta upward-facing green arrow 46'
FW 28 Mexico Martín Zúñiga upward-facing green arrow 80'
DF 30 Mexico Zaid Veyna
Manager:
Uruguay Gustavo Matosas
GK 1 United States Evan Bush Yellow card 89'
DF 6 France Hassoun Camara downward-facing red arrow 66'
DF 5 Mali Bakary Soumaré
DF 23 Belgium Laurent Ciman
DF 25 United States Donny Toia
MF 15 Argentina Andrés Romero Yellow card 88'
MF 14 England Nigel Reo-Coker (c) downward-facing red arrow 75'
MF 16 Scotland Calum Mallace
MF 11 United States Dilly Duka Yellow card 71' downward-facing red arrow 71'
FW 10 Argentina Ignacio Piatti Yellow card 16'
FW 7 Ghana Dominic Oduro
Substitutions:
DF 3 United States Eric Miller upward-facing green arrow 66'
MF 8 Canada Patrice Bernier upward-facing green arrow 75'
DF 51 Canada Maxim Tissot upward-facing green arrow 71'
MF 55 France Wandrille Lefèvre
FW 99 United States Jack McInerney
GK 41 Canada John Smits
FW 13 United States Kenny Cooper
Manager:
United States Frank Klopas
Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, hosted the first leg.

Assistant referees:[12]
Cristian Ramírez (Honduras)
Oscar Velásquez (Honduras)
Fourth official:
Armando Castro (Honduras)

Second leg

[edit]

Montreal Impact took the lead in the 8th minute, after Andrés Romero received Ignacio Piatti's pass, dribbled on goal and scored. Darío Benedetto had a golden chance just a few minutes later when he had a seemingly open goal from 4 yards out, but his shot hit the crossbar and the Impact cleared the ball away. Piatti had a great chance to extend the lead for Montreal midway through the first half, but Moisés Muñoz made a great save for Club America. The lead lasted until the 50th minute, as Darío Benedetto equalized for América with a scissor kick from Osvaldo Martínez's cross. América took the lead in the 65th minute, when Darwin Quintero headed the ball across goal for Oribe Peralta to head it in. Benedetto increased América's lead two minutes later as he stabbed in a cross from Miguel Samudio, and completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute with a curling shot after another assist from Quintero. Jack McInerney added a consolation goal in the 88th minute as he scored from Piatti's pass.[4][13]

Montreal Impact Canada2–4Mexico América
Romero 8'
McInerney 88'		 Report Benedetto 50', 67', 81'
Peralta 65'
Attendance: 61,004[14]
Montreal Impact
América
GK 30 Germany Kristian Nicht
DF 14 England Nigel Reo-Coker (c)
DF 5 Mali Bakary Soumaré Yellow card 25'
DF 23 Belgium Laurent Ciman Yellow card 63'
DF 25 United States Donny Toia downward-facing red arrow 70'
MF 15 Argentina Andrés Romero Yellow card 36'
MF 16 Scotland Calum Mallace downward-facing red arrow 78'
MF 10 Argentina Ignacio Piatti
MF 33 Italy Marco Donadel downward-facing red arrow 67'
MF 11 United States Dilly Duka
FW 7 Ghana Dominic Oduro Yellow card 69'
Substitutions:
GK 40 Canada Maxime Crépeau
DF 51 Canada Maxim Tissot upward-facing green arrow 70'
DF 3 United States Eric Miller
MF 8 Canada Patrice Bernier upward-facing green arrow 78'
MF 55 France Wandrille Lefèvre
FW 99 United States Jack McInerney upward-facing green arrow 67'
FW 13 United States Kenny Cooper
Manager:
United States Frank Klopas
GK 23 Mexico Moisés Muñoz
DF 22 Mexico Paul Aguilar
DF 17 United States Ventura Alvarado
DF 12 Paraguay Pablo Aguilar Yellow card 34'
DF 6 Paraguay Miguel Samudio
MF 3 Colombia Darwin Quintero downward-facing red arrow 82'
MF 21 Mexico José Guerrero Yellow card 28'
MF 10 Paraguay Osvaldo Martínez Yellow card 36'
MF 14 Argentina Rubens Sambueza (c) downward-facing red arrow 87'
FW 24 Mexico Oribe Peralta downward-facing red arrow 84'
FW 9 Argentina Darío Benedetto Yellow card 67'
Substitutions:
GK 1 Mexico Hugo González
DF 4 Mexico Erik Pimentel
DF 15 Mexico Osmar Mares upward-facing green arrow 87'
MF 5 Argentina Cristian Pellerano
MF 11 Ecuador Michael Arroyo upward-facing green arrow 84'
FW 27 Mexico José Madueña upward-facing green arrow 82'
FW 28 Mexico Martín Zúñiga
Manager:
Uruguay Gustavo Matosas
Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, hosted the second leg.

Assistant referees:[15]
Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)
Octavio Jara (Costa Rica)
Fourth official:
Jefrrey Solís (Costa Rica)

References

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  1. ^ "Scotiabank CCL final dates, times set". CONCACAF.com. 9 April 2015. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b "CONCACAF Champions League 2014–15 Regulations" (PDF). CONCACAF.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Peralta lifts Club America to draw with Montreal". CONCACAF.com. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Club America wins SCCL title". CONCACAF.com. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 4 May 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  5. ^ "SCCL finals at a glance". CONCACAF.com. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015.
  6. ^ "SCCL final facts & figures". CONCACAF.com. 21 April 2015. Archived from the original on 4 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Champions League: Montreal looking at all options as GK Evan Bush fumes over leg 2 suspension | MLSsoccer.com". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Club América vs Montreal Impact Highlights". Youtube. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Articles - Canadian Soccer News". Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  10. ^ "A Bleu-blanc-noir mosaic for Wednesday night". Montreal Impact. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Final de Concachampions impone marca de asistencia". Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Cuarteto arbitral de Honduras designado para el partido de ida de la Final de la SCCL" (in Spanish). UNCAF. April 19, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  13. ^ "Montreal Impact vs Club América Highlights". Youtube. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  14. ^ Gordon, Sean (29 April 2015). "Impact's CONCACAF Champions League trophy chances dashed after home defeat". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Cuarteto arbitral de Costa Rica designado para el partido final de la SCCL" (in Spanish). UNCAF. April 17, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
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