LAFC came close and failed to change the history of MLS predecessors in the CONCACAF Champions League (Concachampions) and fell 2-1 to the Tigers in the regional tournament final.
The Los Angeles club was surprised to become the first team in the US league to eliminate three Mexican clubs in the same tournament after defeating León, Cruz Azul and América, but were unable to defeat the Tigres in the title duel.
“We are proud of the way we try to do things. We continue to try to grow as an institution, “said Bob Bradley, LAFC coach. “It’s another one of those nights where we have to take lessons and that’s what I’m focusing on.
“It is difficult to process immediately what happened. We are very disappointed, for 70 minutes we complicated things (for the Tigers), it was a very difficult, difficult game, but we tried to press and impose the rhythm in the game “, he added.
LAFC is an institution that was born in 2018 and before the Tigers played the first final in its history and did it in an international tournament. Bradley’s coaches were worthy finalists, sticking to their game idea, which has made them a competitor since their inception.
“I really like (LAFC), I like the way Bradley trains and makes his team play,” said Ricardo “Tuca” Ferreti, Tigres technical director, after winning his first Concachampions in four tries. “He is a great rival with high, low pressure, everywhere, with a lot of intensity. Our team had a good reaction to come back. “
LAFC took the lead after 61 minutes, as a result of Diego Rossi’s awkward, but ultimately successful, shot from the right. Ironically, it was the first time in the entire knockout phase of the tournament that Angelenos took the lead in a match. Before Leo, Cruz Azul and América had to return.
“We had a great chance to go 2-0 with Carlos Vela’s shot covering the defense, then a misunderstanding between Eddie Segura and goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer gave up the corner kick where the equalizer came from,” Bradley explained. “Later, before the second goal, you could see that we started to be more negligent in our game, to give up space. Pierre Andre Gignac is an excellent player, who is looking for those moments and has found the goal “.
Tigres got a fingertip on Hugo Ayala’s shot from the left 72 minutes in, and managed to keep the visitors from going up another goal. From that moment, the cats grew in their game and Angelenos faded.
After 84 minutes, Luis “Chaka” Rodríguez came in from the right, feinted, then sped past the off-balance defender to put away the 1 – 0 goal, giving Gignac the lead. The French did not forgive to condemn the final 2-1.
“Our team is growing, it has shown good things, an excellent mentality to play a final and, unfortunately, we finished in a way that disappoints us,” lamented Bradley.
Vela failed to win the first club championship of his career. In the first half, the Mexican suffered a large number of fouls, but the referee decided not to show any team cards throughout the game, despite repeated blows.
In addition, Guatemalan whistle Mario Escobar did not score a penalty against Tigres and an offside in Rossi’s goal that could only be seen repeatedly.
“Vela was wrong wrong in the first half, he got a lot of hits, I’m not sure why when you have a player who has been attacked repeatedly, you don’t feel the need to show a card,” Bradley said of the American referee’s performance central.
LAFC joined Real Salt Lake, Montreal Impact and Toronto FC as the four representative MLS teams that played in the CONCACAF Champions League final that were runners-up against MX League teams.
In turn, Tigres will participate in the Club World Cup to be held in Qatar from February 1-11, 2021.