2014 CONCACAF Champions League final explained

2014 CONCACAF Champions League final
Event:2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League
Team1:Cruz Azul
Team1association:
Team1score:1
Team2:Toluca
Team2association:
Team2score:1
Details:on aggregate
Cruz Azul won on away goals
Firstleg:First leg
Team1score1:0
Team2score1:0
Date1:15 April 2014
Stadium1:Estadio Azul
City1:Mexico City
Referee1:Roberto García (Mexico)
Attendance1:24,329
Secondleg:Second leg
Team1score2:1
Team2score2:1
Date2:23 April 2014
Stadium2:Estadio Nemesio Díez
City2:Toluca
Referee2:Marco Rodríguez (Mexico)
Attendance2:20,675
Previous:2013
Next:2015

The 2014 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final of the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League, the 6th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format, and overall the 49th edition of the premium football club competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional governing body of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between two Mexican teams, Cruz Azul and Toluca. The first leg was hosted by Cruz Azul at Estadio Azul in Mexico City on 15 April 2014, while the second leg was hosted by Toluca at Estadio Nemesio Díez in Toluca on 23 April 2014.[1] The winner earned the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage.[2]

The first leg ended in a 0–0 draw,[3] and the second leg ended in a 1–1 draw,[4] giving Cruz Azul a record-setting sixth CONCACAF club title (and their first during the Champions League era) on the away goals rule.

Background

For the fifth time in six seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final was played between two Mexican sides. This guaranteed a Mexican champion for the ninth straight year and 30th time since the confederation began staging the tournament in 1962 (including the tournament's predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup). Both clubs had won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, with Cruz Azul winning five times (1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997), a record they shared with América, and Toluca winning twice (1968, 2003). During the Champions League era, Cruz Azul had lost in two finals (2009, 2010), while Toluca's previous best record was reaching the semifinals.

Cruz Azul finished top of Group 3 ahead of Herediano and Valencia in the group stage, and were seeded second for the championship stage, where they eliminated Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals and Tijuana in the semifinals.

Toluca finished top of Group 6 ahead of Comunicaciones and Caledonia AIA in the group stage, and were seeded first for the championship stage, where they eliminated San Jose Earthquakes in the quarterfinals and Alajuelense in the semifinals.

Road to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Cruz AzulRound Toluca
OpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResult
ByeMatchday 1 Caledonia AIA3–1 (H)
Herediano3–0 (H)Matchday 2 Comunicaciones2–1 (A)
Valencia2–1 (A)Matchday 3Bye
ByeMatchday 4 Caledonia AIA5–1 (A)
Valencia3–0 (H)Matchday 5Bye
Herediano2–1 (A)Matchday 6 Comunicaciones5–1 (H)
Group 3 winnerFinal standingsGroup 6 winner
OpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legChampionship stageOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg
Sporting Kansas City5–20–1 (A)5–1 (H)Quarterfinals San Jose Earthquakes2–2 (5–4 p)1–1 (A)1–1 (H)
Tijuana2–10–1 (A)2–0 (H)Semifinals Alajuelense3–01–0 (A)2–0 (H)

Rules

The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule was used if the aggregate score was level after normal time of the second leg, but not after extra time, and so the final was decided by penalty shoot-out if the aggregate score was level after extra time of the second leg.[2]

Matches

First leg

valign=top width=50%
width=25!width=25
GK 12 Guillermo Allison
DF 5 Alejandro Castro
DF 4 Julio Domínguez
DF 15 Gerardo Flores
DF 57 Emanuel Loeschbor
DF 28 Rogelio Chávez
MF 6 Gerardo Torrado (c)
MF 8 Marco Fabián
MF 33
FW 9
FW 11
Substitutions:
GK 37 Javier Caso
DF 55 David Stringel
DF 53 Horacio Cervantes
MF 7
MF 10
MF 20
MF 58 Héctor Gutiérrez
Manager:
Luis Fernando Tena
valign=topvalign=top width=50%
width=25!width=25
GK 1 Alfredo Talavera
DF 2 Francisco Gamboa
DF 6
DF 8 Aarón Galindo
DF 4 Paulo da Silva (c)
MF 5 Wilson Mathías
MF 15
MF 11
MF 17
FW 27
FW 7
Substitutions:
GK 22 César Lozano
DF 20 Miguel Almazán
DF 14 Édgar Dueñas
MF 16
MF 18 Emilio Orrantía
FW 23
FW 29
Manager:
José Cardozo
Assistant referees

[5]
José Luis Camargo (Mexico)
Alberto Morín (Mexico)
Fourth official


César Ramos (Mexico)

Second leg

valign=top width=50%
width=25!width=25
GK 1 Alfredo Talavera
DF 4 Paulo da Silva (c)
DF 6
DF 8
MF 16
MF 5 Wilson Mathías
MF 15
MF 11
MF 17
FW 27 Isaác Brizuela
FW 7 Pablo Velázquez
Substitutions:
GK 22 César Lozano
DF 14 Édgar Dueñas
MF 2
MF 19 Edy Brambila
MF 21 Gabriel Velasco
FW 23
FW 29
Manager:
José Cardozo
valign=topvalign=top width=50%
width=25!width=25
GK 1 José de Jesús Corona
DF 4 Julio Domínguez
DF 15 Gerardo Flores
DF 57 Emanuel Loeschbor
DF 28 Rogelio Chávez
MF 5
MF 6 Gerardo Torrado (c)
MF 8
MF 33
FW 11
FW 9 Mariano Pavone
Substitutions:
GK 12 Guillermo Allison
DF 14
DF 53
MF 7 Pablo Barrera
MF 10
MF 18 Sergio Nápoles
MF 70 Ismael Valadéz
Manager:
Luis Fernando Tena
Assistant referees

[6]
Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)
Marcos Quintero (Mexico)
Fourth official


Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Television Broadcast Schedule Confirmed for CCL Finals. CONCACAF.com. April 10, 2014. April 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140418194334/http://www.concacaf.com/article/television-broadcast-schedule-confirmed-for-ccl-finals. April 18, 2014. dead.
  2. Web site: CONCACAF Champions League Regulations 2013/2014. CONCACAF.com. 2014-04-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20131108043304/http://www.concacaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CCL1314-Regulations060313pdf.pdf. 2013-11-08. dead.
  3. Web site: Cruz Azul, Toluca play to CCL stalemate. CONCACAF.com. April 15, 2014. April 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140417141840/http://www.concacaf.com/article/cruz-azul-toluca-play-to-ccl-stalemate. April 17, 2014. dead.
  4. Web site: Cruz Azul wins CCL title, qualifies for FCWC. CONCACAF.com. April 24, 2014. April 24, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140425133418/http://www.concacaf.com/article/cruz-azul-wins-ccl-title-qualifies-for-fcwc. April 25, 2014. dead.
  5. Web site: Champions League Appointments Finals Week 1. CONCACAF.com. April 14, 2014. April 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150413041854/http://www.concacaf.com/article/champions-league-appointments-finals-week-1. April 13, 2015. dead.
  6. Web site: Champions League Appointments Finals Week 2. CONCACAF.com. April 21, 2014. April 22, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140423041055/http://www.concacaf.com/article/champions-league-appointments-finals-week-2. April 23, 2014. dead.