The CONCACAF Champions League has its first quarterfinalist -- Tijuana. A loss by Victoria clinched Group 7 for Xolos and confirmed their spot in the knockout stages, making them the sole team to have guaranteed advancement after four matchdays. Not bad for a team that didn’t even play this week.
CONCACAF Champions League roundup: Arabe Unido and Firpo win
Matchday four has come to a close and it delivered the Champions League a quarterfinalist.
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W Connection 0-2 Arabe Unido
Arabe Unido jumped back into first place in Group 1 on Thursday, but W Connection did not make things easy on them. The Trinidad and Tobago side created chances and a couple came within inches of going in, but their shots skidded just wide of the post, keeping Arabe Unido alive.
And when Arabe Unido got their chances, they capitalized. Luis Fraiz put the visitors in front 27 minutes in and Abdiel Arroyo put the match away at the hour mark to wrap up an important away win for the Panamanians.
Arabe Unido now sit two points clear of the Houston Dynamo. The Americans have a match in hand, but the Panamanians will host Houston on the final matchday, when a win will guarantee them a spot in the quarterfinals. W Connection have been eliminated.
L.A. Firpo 2-1 Victoria
Victoria needed a win to stay alive in the Champions League, but it was not to be and they joined Firpo as teams eliminated from the tournament, giving idle Tijuana a place in the knockout stages. Kevin Hoyos got Victoria off to a dream start when he cut in and hit a bullet into the upper corner for a 1-0 lead, but a spectacular volley by Medardo Guevara brought Firpo level and Erick Rivera delivered an 82nd minute winner to doom Victoria.
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