Posted on March 14, 2013 by Michael Lewis
For the first time, two U.S. soccer teams have reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The LA Galaxy joined the Seattle Sounders in the final four, besting Herediano, 4-1, in the second leg of their quarterfinal series at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Wednesday night.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the first leg in Heredia, Costa Rica last week.
The Galaxy will meet two-time defending CCL champion Monterrey in the semifinals.
Omar Gonzalez Jose Villarreal, Robbie Keane and Jack McBean tallied for LA, while Elias Aguilar found the back of the next for the visitors.
Gonzalez struck in the 18th minute, bouncing a downward header from a Juninho corner kick off Herediano’s Marvin Obando.
Jose Villarreal, who scored three goals at the recent CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, doubled the lead in the 69th minute. After receiving a pass from Sean Franklin, Villarreal ran around Esteban Grandos and beat goalkeeper Daniel Cambronero inside the far post.
Keane made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute, receiving a pass from Michael Stephens and slotting the ball inside the far post from a difficult angle.
Herediano closed the gap to 3-1 in the 85th minute, Elias Aguilar converting a Waylon Francis pass past goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini from 12 yards.
McBean, a second-half sub, added a fourth goal for the hosts two minutes into stoppage as he curled a quick free kick by Stephens inside the far post.
<strong>Coach Bruce Arena’s team is close to its goal of winning the CCL. Andy Mead/YCJ</strong>
Categories: Central America, Champions League, Costa Rica, Mexico, North America, U.S.A.
Tags: Carlo Cudincini, CONCACAF Champions League, Herediano, Jack McBean, Jose Villarreal, Juninho, LA Galaxy, Marvin Obando, Michael Stephens, Monterrey, Omar Gonzalez, Robbie Keane, Seattle Sounders
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