May 3 – Mexican clubs have kept their grip on the Concacaf Champions League trophy for 14th consecutive season with Liga MX side Monterrey taking the title for the fourth time after the 1-1 draw in the second leg of the final against Tigres.
The win continues the history of Mexican dominance of the confederation’s top club competition which was last won by a non-Mexican club in 2005 when Costa Rica’s Saprissa lifted the Champions Cup trophy. The closest the Mexicans came to losing the winning streak was last season when Guadalajara just squeezed past Toronto on penalties.
Monterrey last won the trophy in 2012/13, for the third consecutive time. Their win over Tigres was hard fought and broke a run of being losing finalists in domestic competitions.
Monterrey had won the first leg 1-0 with a Nicolas Sanchez header leaving them just needing a draw to win the title.
Sanchez opened the scoring in the second and home leg, with a first half penalty.
Tigres made changes in the second half and oncoming French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac levelled the match with a scissor kick five minutes from time. But it was too little too late and despite Tigres pressuring Monterrey for the goal that would have taken them into extra time, the hosts held on.
Tigres have now lost in the Champions League final for the third time having previously been beaten in 2016 and 2017.
In the Champions League era that began in 2008, it has been an all-Mexico final eight times. Canadian teams have twice made the final (2015 and 2018) while only one MLS side – Real Salt Lake in 2011 – have made the final. MLS teams have however been losing semi-finalists five times.
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