LAFC (Los Angeles FC) defeated Toluca 2-1 on Wednesday in a hard-fought first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals, which will have their epilogue next week on Mexican soil.
The U.S. team’s narrow lead keeps the Mexicans’ hopes of sealing their ticket to the final alive.
Son shines with two assists
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The Angelinos opened the scoring early in the second half.
This followed an assist from Son Heung-Min that allowed Timothy Tillman to connect with a shot from the center of the box into the back of the net.
Mexico’s Jesus Ricardo Angulo scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute after an assist from Paulinho inside the box that beat the effort of French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who came within inches of the ball.
Nkosi Tafari sealed the game in stoppage time (91 minutes) when he capitalized on another assist from the Korean star to seal LAFC’s lead over Toluca.
The home team had to make up for the absence of Denis Bouanga, who served a one-match suspension for accumulation of yellow cards.
Toluca dominates start, but LAFC responds
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Los Diablos Rojos del Toluca, for their part, took the early lead by controlling possession against an LAFC defense that stood firm to prevent any dangerous advances into their box.
The first big chance of the game came in the 20th minute with a powerful shot from Son on the right.
The goal was just a few meters from the opponent’s goal to warn about the danger of the local team.
Tillman was also hungry for a goal. in fact, he even missed a first goal after connecting on a great volley that hit the ground.
And it went just wide after a precise cross from a set piece.
Tillman unleashes the madness in the second half
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Toluca struggled to get into the heat of the game against an LAFC side that closed off all access to their half for much of the opening period.
But the tension increased at the end of the first half when Lloris made a masterful double intervention.
This was after a corner in favor of the Mexicans to save his goal with his fists and prevent the Red Devils from going into the halftime break with a lead.
Tightly contested first leg
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Tillman’s goal in the 51st minute only added to the Angelenos’ second-half lead.
Taking advantage of their lead, they went back on the attack just two minutes later when Jacob Shaffelburg’s goal was disallowed by the VAR after being ruled offside.
This setback, however, spurred on Toluca, who managed to equalize after starting the second half with a certain passivity on the field.
Technical data
2. Los Angles FC: Hugo Lloris; Ryan Porteous, Aaron Long (m.67, Kenny Nielsen), Nkosi Tafari, Sergi Palencia; Mathieu Choiniere (m.80, Stephen Eustaquio), Mark Delgado, Jacob Shaffelburg, Timothy Tillman; David Martinez Morales (m.80, Jeremy Ebobisse) and Son Heung Min.
Coach: Marc Dos Santos.
Toluca: Luis García; Santiago Simón, Bruno Méndez, Everardo López, Jesús Gallardo; Helinho (64th minute, Diego Barbosa), Nicolás Castro, Jesús Ricardo Angulo (80th minute, Alexis Vega), Franco Romero; Marcel Ruíz (89th minute, Jorge Díaz) and Paulinho (88th minute, Fernando Arce).
Coach: Antonio Mohamed.
Goals: 1-0, minute 51: Timothy Tillman. 1-1, 73rd minute: Jesús Ricardo Angulo. 2-1, 91st minute: Nkosi Tafar.
Referee: Ismael Cornejo. Yellow cards for Ryan Porteous and Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC) and Jesus Ricardo Angulo and Diego Barbosa (Toluca).
Incidents: First leg of the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup played at BMO Stadium in the city of Los Angeles, with capacity for 22,000 attendees.
With information from EFE
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