March 18 – The story of the Round of 16 first leg ties was San Diego FC’s comeback from being down against Liga MX champions Toluca, to win 3-2 with just nine men left on the pitch.
It was a stunning performance from San Diego who are only in their second season of MLS play. But Toluca were in no mood to let it happen again at Estadio Nemesio Díez and in the end ran out 4-0 winners.
But they had to wait for their aggregate equalising goal until the 43rd minute when Nicolás Castro’s shot rebounded off the post into the path of Jesús Angulo (pictured top) for the rebound.
With the two teams tied on aggregate, Toluca were in the driving season with their two away goals. San Diego needed another big comeback performance but with key players Marcus Ingvartsen and Manu Duah ruled out for red card offences from the first leg, it was not going to happen.
Toluca doubled their lead in the 56th minute as Paulinho pulled off an outrageous backheel flick off a cross from Mexican international Jesús Gallardo.
They were soon three up when Angulo scored his second with a close range shot in the 59th minute.
It was all over for a brave San Diego team, and just to make sure the MLS side understood the royalty they were playing, Gallardo added a fourth in the second minute of added time with a shot from inside the box that deflected off a defender and past the San Diego goalkeeper Duran Ferree.
Toluca move on to the Quarterfinals and will face the winner of LA Galaxy and Mount Pleasant FA.
Toluca 4 San Diego FC 0. Toluca win 6-3 on aggregate.