Columbus goalie Patrick Schulte saved the first two attempts in a penalty shootout as the Crew advanced past Tigres UANL on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup at San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico.
Following a 1-1 draw in regulation and 30 scoreless minutes of extra time in the second leg of the two-match, total-goal series, the Crew emerged with a 4-3 win on penalties. The teams also played to a 1-1 tie in Columbus last week.
Schulte turned aside shots from Andre-Pierre Gignac and Guido Pizarro to begin the shootout. Columbus made its first three attempts before Cucho Hernandez missed with a shot off the post, keeping Tigres alive. Jesus Angulo scored for the hosts before Max Arfsten slotted home the winning attempt.
Tigres grabbed an early lead on a goal from Gignac in the third minute. Schulte got caught in possession inside his own 6-yard box, and Gignac tapped the ball into the vacated goal.
The Crew tied the match in the 59th minute with an impressive counterattack. Hernandez ran onto a long pass down the left flank and centered to Mohamed Farsi, who laid the ball off for Diego Rossi to deliver a 10-yard shot with his right foot.
Next up for Columbus is a two-leg semifinal against either Inter Miami or Monterrey. Those two teams conclude their quarterfinal series on Wednesday in Guadalupe, Mexico, with Monterrey ahead 2-1.
Club America 5, Revolution 2
First-half goals from Diego Valdes, Julian Quinones and Henry Martin sent Club America on their way to a blowout of New England in Mexico City as the hosts completed a 9-2 aggregate victory.
Alejandro Zendejas and Brian Rodriguez added to America’s rout in the second half.
Giacomo Vrioni scored both goals for the Revolution, in the 65th minute and in second-half stoppage time.
America advance to a semifinal matchup against Mexican rival Pachuca or Costa Rica’s Herediano. Pachuca holds a 5-0 lead heading home for the second leg of its quarterfinal vs. Herediano.
–Field Level Media
