A four-goal second half lifted Toluca FC past Los Angeles FC on Wednesday and into the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
Toluca emerged with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday in Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico, giving the hosts a 5-2 aggregate win in the two-game, total-goal semifinal series.
The final will be an all-Mexican affair, with Toluca opposing Tigres UANL on May 30. Tigres completed a 2-0 aggregate victory over Nashville SC on Tuesday.
Mexico has both CONCACAF Champions Cup finalists for the first time since 2021, when CF Monterrey defeated Club America for the title.
For the 20th time in the past 21 years, a Mexican team will lift the trophy. The only exception in that span was the Seattle Sounders’ title run in 2022.
On Wednesday, Toluca got a chance to pull level on aggregate when LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead was called for a foul in the 18-yard box shortly after halftime. Helinho powered in a left-footed penalty kick in the 49th minute.
Everardo Lopez gave Toluca the decisive goal on an individual effort in the 58th minute. He intercepted a pass as LAFC tried to play out of their defensive third, then took one touch and fired a 28-yard into the right side of the net. Hugo Lloris didn’t even move for the ball, as he had no chance of making the save.
LAFC finished the match with 10 players after Ryan Porteous received a red card for an 86th-minute foul that denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Toluca took advantage of playing a man up, as Paulinho scored twice in second-half stoppage time.
–Field Level Media
