Luis Garcia stopped Juan Purata’s shot in the seventh round of penalty kicks for a 6-5 edge, lifting host Toluca FC past Tigres UANL on Saturday night in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final after the Mexican teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time.
Jorge Diaz’s goal for Toluca at the 104-minute mark in the first half of extra time had broken the scoreless tie, but Joaquim delivered for Tigres UANL in the 114th minute during the second half of extra time to pull even.
Toluca won the tournament for the third time and first since 2003.
For the 20th time in the past 21 years, a Mexican team lifted the trophy. The only exception in that span was the Seattle Sounders’ title run in 2022.
Garcia also made a save on Fernando Gorriaran’s shot in the third round of penalties, while Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman stopped Franco Romero in the fifth round.
Scoring in the penalty shootout for Toluca were: Pavel Perez, Santiago Simon, Federico Pereira, Diaz, Sebastian Cordova and Fernando Arce.
Scoring in the penalty shootout for the Tigres were: Andre-Pierre Gignac, Juan Brunetta, Angel Correa, Diego Lainez and Romulo.
Diaz was on target with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner of the goal off an Arce assist at the 104-minute mark. Moments earlier, Toluca’s Cordova took a shot from the right side of the box which Guzman saved.
Joaquim’s header from very close range found the top left corner of the net off a set-piece crossing assist from Brunetta.
Garcia kept Toluca even with a save on Correa’s right-footed shot from the center of the box at the 117-minute mark.
The teams were scoreless through the first and second halves of regulation, including two extra minutes in the first half and seven more in the second half.
After regulation and the two halves of extra time, Tigres UANL had the edge in shots on goal (8-4), shot attempts (15-13) and corner kicks (7-4). Toluca had more fouls (24-14) and yellow cards (2-1).
Toluca’s Garcia made eight saves and Guzman three.
The Tigres, based in San Nicolas de los Garza in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were playing for their second Champions Cup crown and first since 2020. They also finished runner-up in 2016, ’17 and ’19.
In their most-recent meeting before Saturday, the teams played to a scoreless draw on Jan. 17 of this year with the Tigres as host.
–Field Level Media
