March 12 – Two goals and an assist from Kévin Denkey gave hosts FC Cincinnati a 3-0 lead over Tigres UANL for the second leg of their last 16 Champions Cup series at Estadio Universitario next week.
The Cincinnati striker wasted no time at TQL Stadium, firing into the bottom right corner after just six minutes as he latched on to a delivery from Ender Echenique from the right.
The MLS side dominated the first half with Denkey just missing with a shot from outside the box in the 25th minute and having another shot blocked in the 42nd.
At the end of the half Cincinnati had goalkeeper Roman Celentano to thank after pulling off a key save in the 40th minute from an attempt at close-range by Tigres attacker Juan Brunetta.
Tigres were shaken but it stirred them to come out after the break with much more attacking intent. Leaving their defence exposed it was Cincinnati’s Tom Barlow who doubled the hosts lead on a fast counterattack in the 53rd minute, assisted by Denkey from the right flank before slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner from inside the box.
Tigres upped their intensity another notch but attempts from Rodrigo Aguirre, Ozziel Herrera, Diego Lainez and César Araújo were all blocked. Aguirre came close with a shot from outside the box that dragged just wide.
Both coaches turned to their benches with Cincinnati bolstering their defense and Tigres bringin all-time leading goalscorer André-Pierre Gignac.
But not even the legendary Gignac, the fourth highest scorer in Champions Cup history with 20 goals, could pull back a vital away goal.
In the 83rd minute it was Denkey again to further extend the lead with a shot hit from just outside the box after receiving a threaded pass from Gerardo Valenzuela.
It is FC Cincinnati’s fourth time in the Champions Cup having lost in each of their three previous appearances to Mexican opposition.
Tigres host the Second Leg of the series next Thursday and will be hoping the cauldron of El Volcan will rattle Cincinnati.
The winner on aggregate will meet either Vancouver Whitecaps or Seattle Sounders in the Quarterfinals.
Last 16, first leg: FC Cincinnati 3 Tigres UANL 0
Last 16, second leg, March 18, Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza, Monterrey