Tigres UANL 0 America 2: Benedetto, Martinez score for champions

America are on track for back-to-back CONCACAF Champions League titles after a 2-0 win at Tigres UANL in the first leg of the final.

Goals from Dario Benedetto and Osvaldo Martinez gave Ignacio Ambriz’s men their victory at the Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon on Wednesday.

America, champions last year, are well-placed to repeat that ahead of the second leg on April 27.

Benedetto’s goal came after a fine team move allowed him to head in easily at the back post.

America found their second late on through Martinez, who fired in from distance to give his side a deserved victory over their fellow Liga MX side.

Set-pieces appeared the most likely outlet for both teams during the first half, but neither were overly threatening.

Andre-Pierre Gignac had a couple of half-chances for the hosts, who would eventually fall behind shortly after the break.

A clever Oribe Peralta pass allowed Martinez to clip a cross to the back post and Benedetto nodded in the opener.

America thought they had doubled their lead just before the hour-mark.

Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman came out to halfway to attempt to clear and the ball ended up in the back of the net, before it was ruled out for an apparent offside.

Gignac fired a decent chance wide late on and America were content to try and hit on the break as Tigres pushed forward in search of an equaliser.

They found a second in additional time as Martinez fired into the bottom corner from 20 yards to put America in control of the tie.