MLS San Diego lost 1-0 to Pumas UNAM on Tuesday, but qualified for the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup by winning the series 4-2.
Ecuador’s Pedro Vite scored for the Pumas, who repeatedly lacked accuracy in the box. After losing the first leg 4-1 at their rival’s home, the Pumas came out for the kill, but lacked punch.
Vite gives Pumas the lead in an intense duel
Tanzanian Amahl Pellegrino came close to giving San Diego the lead when in the 14th minute he left defender Jesus Rivas behind and shot against the post.
Pumas had their clearest chance in the 27th minute when Juninho’s shot was saved by Mexican goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega, who had a great night.
Again in the 36th minute, Pellegrino shook off the mark and, for the second time, put the ball inside the post.
Obliged to score three goals and not concede, the Mexicans came out with forward lines and in the 47th minute took the lead.
From a free kick, Vite shot a left-footed shot to make it 1-0.
In the 57th minute, Pumas coach Efraín Juárez sent on Panamanian Adalberto Carrasquilla.
The team insisted on attacking, but was met with a San Diego team that was organized at the back.
Sisniega dresses up as a hero
Pumas came out aggressively
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Pumas came close to the second goal in the 80th minute with a header by Guillermo Martínez, which was cleared by Sisniega.
The goalkeeper stopped the universitarios on another couple of dangerous plays to become a key figure in his team’s qualification.
In the 96th minute, Spain’s Rubén Duarte received a second caution, but was sent off in the last play of the match.
In the round of 16, San Diego will face Mexican soccer champion Toluca.
Technical data
Pumas UNAM: Keylor Navas; Rubén Duarte, Nathan Silva, Álvaro Angulo, Jesús Rivas (Rodrigo López, m.72); Alan Medina (Guillermo Martínez, m.75), Pedro Vite, Jordan Carrillo, Uriel Antuna (Adalberto Carrasquilla, m.57); Robert Morales, Juninho.
Coach: Efraín Juárez.
0. San Diego: Pablo Sisniega; Manu Duah, Christopher McVey, Luca Bombino (Ian Pilches, m.83), Wilson Eisner; Jeppe Tverskov, Pedro Soma (David Vazquez, m.65), Anibal Godoy (Onni Valakari, m.78); Marcus Ingvartsen (Allen Mighten, m.65), Amahl Pellegrino (Kieran Sargeant, m.78), Anders Dreyer.
Coach: Mikey Varas.
Goal: 1-0, minute 47: Pedro Vite.
Referee: Héctor Martínez, of Honduras. Yellow cards for Spain’s Rubén Duarte; Aníbal Godoy and Christopher McVey. Duarte was sent off.
Incidents: Second leg of the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, between Pumas UNAM and San Diego of MLS, held at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.
With information from EFE
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