CONCACAF Champions League Review: America, Alajuelense advance

America completed a comfortable CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final win on Wednesday, while Alajuelense were beaten but progressed.

Goals from Jose Guerrero and Osmar Mares helped America beat Deportivo Saprissa 2-0 in the second leg in Mexico, sealing a 5-0 aggregate triumph.

Gustavo Matosas’ men were untroubled after a decisive 3-0 win in Costa Rica a week prior.

Whatever hope the visitors to the Estadio Azteca had were all-but ended when Guerrero opened the scoring in the 43rd minute.

The hosts held firm and added a sealing goal through Mares, who struck in the 80th minute.

Alajuelense went down 2-1 at DC United, but they completed a 6-4 win on aggregate despite the loss at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

Jairo Arrieta gave DC – 5-2 losers in the first leg – hope of a comeback when he side-footed a neat finish into the bottom corner in the 36th minute.

Rain made conditions difficult before Alajuelense put the tie to bed through a powerful Johan Venegas strike.

Fabian Espindola’s 89th-minute penalty meant DC were winners on the night, but they bowed out of the competition.