Randy Vega chipped a penalty shot into the left side of the net in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time, lifting Herediano to a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday in Sandy, Utah, and an aggregate victory in the first-round CONCACAF Champions Cup series.
The teams played to a scoreless draw last week in Costa Rica to open the two-game, total-goal series. Herediano advances to oppose the defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy in the round of 16 next month.
In the seventh minute of added time at the game’s end, Vega drew a foul from Salt Lake’s Rafael Cabral in the penalty area, setting up the decisive penalty kick.
Forster Ajago put Real Salt Lake on top in the 26th minute, completing a strong team counterattack with a goal from 12 yards out after a cross from
Dominik Marczuk.
Herediano pulled level when Elias Aguilar scored in the 70th minute after a Real Salt Lake giveaway near the top of its 18-yard box.
FC Cincinnati 1, Motagua 1
Kevin Denkey scored on a brilliant through ball in the 19th minute to give FC Cincinnati a draw against visiting Motagua, completing the hosts’ 5-2 aggregate win in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
FC Cincinnati won the first leg of the two-game, total-goal series 4-1 in Honduras last week.
The Orange and Blue advance to face Mexico’s Tigres UANL in the round of 16 next month.
Motagua tried to get back in the series when Rodrigo Auzmendi knocked in a close-range volley off a cross from Jonathan Nunez in the ninth minute.
Ten minutes later, Cincinnati’s Corey Baird dribbled from the midway line through the center of the Motagua defense, then rolled a pass to Denkey, who was entering the 18-yard box. Denkey slotted a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner.
Sounders 3, Antigua 1
Pedro de la Vega scored twice as Seattle completed its second consecutive victory over Antigua by the same score to cruise into the round of 16.
The Sounders move on to face Mexico’s Cruz Azul next.
de la Vega scored on a rebound of his own shot in the 24th minute, but the Guatemalan visitors drew level in first-half stoppage time on a short-range volley from Jose Galvez.
Seattle’s Paul Arriola restored Seattle’s lead on the night in the 53rd minute, firing home a right-footed shot from 10 yards out. de la Vega capped the victory with another goal in the 88th minute.
–Field Level Media
