NYCFC advance to CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, defeat Santos de Guapiles 4-0 in second leg
By Chris Tsakonas
New York City FC are on to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals after defeating Santos de Guapiles 4-0 in the second leg in Los Angeles to seal a 6-0 aggregate victory.
It was another dominant showing for City, who outshot Santos 20 to 3 in the second leg, while holding 59% of the possession.
“Since we understand [the way manager Ronny Deila wants us to play], we can see we are in good form,” Maxim Chanot said after the game. “We’ve seen that during the playoffs [last year] and we’ve seen that in the preseason.”
Much like the first leg, the chances came early and often for City - with the first coming in the 3rd minute, when Gray centered a ball into the box from the right flank that found Taty Castellanos near the penalty marker, who pushed it wide of the left post. In the 5th, Alfredo Morales played a through ball into the box for Talles Magno, but he fired it over the bar.
Santos got their best opportunity in the 13th minute, when Edder Solorzano took a lead pass into traffic at the top of the box before misfiring the shot wide of the left post.
At the other end, Thiago Andrade took a bouncing ball inside the box and fired a volley that missed outside the near left post in the 14th minute.
Castellanos nearly scored off an ambitious try in the 31st minute, as he knuckled a powerful shot from roughly 30 yards off that was parried away by Ruiz.
The ensuing corner kick would bring the first goal of the game, when Maxi Moralez fired in a cross that was headed in at the near post by Alfredo Morales.
Just 3 minutes later, Maxim Chanot doubled NYCFC’s advantage in the game, powering a shot into the upper 90 at the near post after getting the ball off a deflected pass at the top of the box.
City almost got their third goal of the first half in the 42nd minute, when a cross fell to the feet of Magnot 10 yards from goal - but he shot it low and into the arms of Ruiz.
Santos almost pulled one back in the 51st minute, when a shot from Denilson Mason from nearly 30 yards out hit the goalpost and went out of play.
The pace slowed considerably for both sides until NYCFC got their third goal of the day in the 79th minute, when Thiago Andrade cut back a cross from the goalline that was finished by Magno.
The troubles continued to mount in the 84th minute,when Alvin Bennett was sent off after stepping on Castellanos’ leg while he was lying on the ground.
Magno would get a brace in the 86th minute, as he intercepted a clearance from Ruiz and nutmegged the keeper to make it a 4-0 game and a 6-0 aggregate lead.
“He’s a talented boy, everybody knows that,” NYCFC manager Ronny Deila said after the game. “I think he’s ready now to really be important for our team this season.”
While the home leg was held at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, NYCFC still had some supporters who made the trip out west to be in the building for the second leg.
“It was great to see the fans there,” Deila said. “To come out there, 6 hours in a plane is impressive. It’s something we are very grateful for.”