LAFC routs Cruz Azul in CCC quarterfinal first leg

Photo courtesy of LAFC

The challenge was right there for LAFC on Tuesday night.

Facing perhaps its toughest test of this young season, LAFC kicked off its quarterfinal run of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday night. Staring them in the face was Liga Mx’s Cruz Azul, the reigning CONCACAF champions, who are also locked in a tight race for the league title, four points back of Chivas Guadalajara for first place in Liga Mx.

Not that LAFC is any slouch themselves. LAFC is not only undefeated to start the season, but has not allowed a goal in the six MLS matches it has played so far this season. Furthermore, with the first leg in the friendly confines of BMO Stadium, LAFC knew it had to take advantage of its home field to have any chance of knocking out one of Mexico’s most prominent sides, and that they did, scoring two first goals and adding a second, and LAFC drew first blood with the 3-0 win.

You have to credit our opponent for how they came on, Then we adjusted something,” LAF head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “Once we did that adjustment, it helped us deal with their play inside us.”

David Martinez was the star for LAFC on Tuesday, as he had a brace in the match and Son-Heung Min got LAFC going with an opening goal. LAFC will surely need all three goals next Tuesday night when the series resumes in Mexico City’s Estadio Cuauhtémoc.

Son got LAFC going half and hour into the match. Timothy Tillman tracked down a loose ball and sent a ball forward that sprung Mathieu Choiniere down the right side. Choiniere right away crossed into the penalty area and Son slid and tapped a left-footed shot just outside the six-yard box past keeper Kevin Mier into the back net.

Then it was Martinez’s turn. Martinez doubled the LAFC advantage nine minutes later, as Choiniere received a ball from Denis Bouanga, Choiniere then sent a long ball down the right side, Martinez tracked the ball down, then outraced defender Agustín Palavecino as he dribbled into the penalty area, Martinez then slotted a lef-footed shot past Mier into the back net to give LAFC a vital two-goal lead that they took into the halftime break. Martinez got his brace in the 58th minute, as he received a pass from Son around the halfway line, then dribbled about 30 yards, through several Cruz Azul defenders into the penalty area, then fired a left-footed shot that beat Mier to the far post to triple the LAFC lead.

“We pushed them more wide and we did better then,” Dos Santos said.

Before heading to Mexico next week, LAFC will resume MLS play on Saturday, as they head to Portland to face the Timbers in a nationally televised match.