Monterrey striker Brandon Vazquez was on target again as the Mexican side eliminated MLS club Cincinnati from the CONCACAF Champions League (Julio Cesar AGUILAR)
Monterrey’s USA international Brandon Vazquez bagged another goal against his former club Thursday as the Liga-MX team sent Cincinnati crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup with a 2-1 victory.
The Mexican side’s reward is a quarter-final against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who advanced on Wednesday after completing a 5-3 aggregate victory.
The striker Vazquez scored the only goal in Monterrey’s 1-0 first-leg victory in Ohio last week.
The 25-year-old was on target again in Thursday’s return fixture, scoring a 67th-minute winner that helped Monterrey claim a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Vazquez tapped in a simple finish after Maxi Meza broke down the right and squared an inviting low cross for the California-born center-forward.
That goal gave Monterrey valuable breathing space just when Cincinnati looked to be mounting a fightback.
The MLS club had equalised just after half-time when playmaker Luciano Acosta produced a jinking run through a crowded penalty area to make it 1-1.
Acosta’s strike cancelled out Monterrey’s opening goal just before half-time, Luis Romo’s clever backheeled flick from close range beating goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
In Thursday’s other Champions Cup game, New England Revolution advanced safely to the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw against Costa Rican side Alajuelense.
New England, leading 4-0 from the first leg, were rocked by a Carlos Mora goal after four minutes but leveled nine minutes from full-time through Giacomo Vrioni.
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