Due to the highest number of away goals, the reigning MLS champion New York City FC qualified for the semifinals of the 2022 Concacaf Champions League on Tuesday, despite losing 4-2 in the quarterfinal round to Comunicaciones de Guatemala.
In a duel of emotions in the second half, the New Yorkers qualified with a 5-5 overall after facing a fierce Guatemalan team that did not lower their arms despite being down twice on the scoreboard.
The visitors scored Argentine striker Valentín Castellanos and the Brazilian attacker Talles Magno 32 and 57 minutes after the game held at the Doroteo Guamuch Flores stadium, in downtown Guatemala City.
Costa Rican striker Andrés Lezcano (45), defender Nicolás Samayoa (69), steering wheel Lynner Garcia (73) and creative José Contreras (88) scored for Comunicaciones, but their goals were insufficient to reverse the key and achieve a new feat in the tournament.
The Guatemalan team came from achieving the feat of eliminating Colorado Rapids in February in the eighth round of the MLS, in the final match played in the United States under heavy snow and a temperature of 14 degrees below zero.
- On the shore -
The 'Creams' began to excite the nearly 2,000 fans who went to the top sports facility in Guatemala about half of the first half, when they reached the rival area with greater insistence.
At 28, a controversy came after a shot by Colombian defender José Corena, from Comunicaciones, which US goalkeeper Sean Johnson took off the line. The locals claimed a goal, but the judges dismissed the protests.
Five minutes later, New York City silenced the stadium with an eye-catching free-kick score scored by Argentinian Castellanos.
Before the end of the first half (45), Tico Lezcano took advantage of a rebound at the door of the big area and with a crossed shot beat the New York goal for 1-1.
After the halftime break, at 53, came the second goal of 'City' with Magno's header.
Comunicaciones did not deliver and Samayoa made it 2-2 by taking advantage of a rebound resulting from a rejection by Johnson after a headshot by Ecuadorian Juan Anangonó.
The third reached 73, through Lynner Garcia, and the fourth to 88 with a long-distance shot by the creative José Contreras who made the Guatemalan cast dream of another heroic comeback.
However, after the final whistle, Comunicaciones stayed on the edge of the standings due to the two away goals scored by the North American team, which defined the series by finishing equalized 5-5 in the aggregate.
The technical sheet of the match is as follows:
Goals:
Communications: Andrés Lezcano (45), Nicolas Samayoa (69), Lynner Garcia (73) and Jose Contreras (88)
New York City FC: Valentin Castellanos (32) and Great Talles (53)
Alignments:
Communications: Kevin Moscoso - Kevin Lopez (Nelso Garcia, 72), Nicolas Samayoa, Allen Yanes, Jose Corena, Alexander Larin - Jorge Aparicio (Oscar Santis, 63), Jose Contreras, Rodrigo Saravia (Karel Espino, 71) - Juan Anangonó and Andres Lezcano. DT: William Intercourse.
New York City FC: Sean Johnson - Andres Jasson, Thiago Martins, Maxime Chanot, Alexander Callens, Malte Amundsen - Nicolás Acevedo, Maximiliano Moralez (Thiago Andrade, 60) Alfredo Morales (Keaton Parks, 59), Talles Magno (Vukashin Latinovich, 90+3) - Valentín Castellanos (Heber Araujo, 60). DT: Ronny Deila.
— Schedule of the quarter-final second leg matches:
- Tuesday
Communications (GUA) - New York City FC (USA) 4-2 (5-5 overall)
- Wednesday
CF Montreal (CAN) - Cruz Azul (MEX)
Pumas (MEX) - New England Revolution (USA)
- Thursday
León (MEX) - Seattle Sounders (USA)
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