SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – It will be a battle of Concacaf giants on Thursday night at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula when Olimpia of Honduras host Guatemalan side Comunicaciones in the first leg of the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League quarterfinals.
The two sides have a combined 60 domestic league titles to their name, with Olimpia a two-time Concacaf Champions Cup winner and also champion of the inaugural SCL in 2017, while Comunicaciones have one Concacaf Champions Cup trophy in their cabinet.
With two legendary clubs squaring off in a two-legged tie that will yield a berth in the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, it should make for some thrilling football, beginning with Thursday’s first leg.
Olimpia showed their scoring prowess in the previous round, pouring in four goals in the second leg against Forge FC of Canada in a 4-2 aggregate win.
Meanwhile, led by Gerardo Gordillo who has two goals in the competition, Comunicaciones have managed to eliminate a pair of tough teams, Marathon of Honduras in the Preliminary Round and fellow Guatemalan club Guastatoya in the Round of 16.
A good result on Thursday night from either side could well pave the way for a triumphant return to the SCCL.
Match Officials:
R: VILLARREAL, ARMANDO (USA)
AR1: PARKER, COREY MICHAEL (USA)
AR2: NESBITT, KATHRYN (USA) 4th Official: UNKEL, THEODORE LAWRENCE (USA)
Data:
- CD Olimpia Round of 16 vs. Forge FC (CAN) 4-2 in the overall
- First leg: 8-22-19 Forge FC (1) Christopher Nanco 4´ CD Olimpia (0)
- Second leg: 8-29-19 CD Olimpia (4) Jonathan Ferrari 30´, Deybi Flores 43´, Júnior Lacayo 75´, Jerry Bengtson 79´ Forge FC (1) David Choiniére 88.´
Comunicaciones road to the QF
Preliminary Round
- Comunicaciones FC 3-2 in the global to CD Marathón
- First leg: 8-01-19 Comunicaciones (2) Gerardo Gordillo 47´, Jorge Estuardo Vargas 54´, CD Marathón (1) Edwin Solano 4´
- Second leg: 8-08-19 CD Marathón (1) Justin Arboleda 80´, Comunicaciones (1) Cristian Hernández 88
- Round of 16: 2-1 vs CD Guastatoya overall
- First leg: 8-21-19 Comunicaciones (2) Agustín Herrera (PK) 53´, Gerardo Gordillo 78´ CD Guastatoya (1) Kendel Omar Herrarte 17´
- Second leg: 8-25-19 CD Guastatoya (0) FC Comunicaciones (0)