The 2015 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final of the 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, the 7th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format, and overall the 50th edition of the premium football club competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional governing body of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Mexico's América and Canada's Montreal Impact. The first leg was hosted by América at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 22 April 2015, while the second leg was hosted by the Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on 29 April 2015. The winner earned the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage.
After a 1–1 first leg, América won the second leg 4–2 to win 5–3 on aggregate for their record-tying sixth overall CONCACAF club title.
Background For only the second time in seven seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final featured a non-Mexican team, with the only previous occasion where it was not an all-Mexican final being in 2011, where Real Salt Lake lost to Monterrey.
This was the first final of América in the CONCACAF Champions League era, but they had won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup title five times (1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2006). They were aiming to equal Cruz Azul's record of six CONCACAF club titles which was set in 2014's final.
Montreal Impact was the first Canadian team to reach a CONCACAF club final. They were aiming to become the first non-Mexican team to win in the CONCACAF Champions League era, and the third Major League Soccer team to win the CONCACAF club title after D.C. United (1998) and LA Galaxy (2000).
Road to the final
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
AméricaRound Montreal ImpactOpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResultByeMatchday 1 FAS1–0 (H) Puerto Rico Bayamón6–1 (H)Matchday 2 FAS3–2 (A) Comunicaciones1–1 (A)Matchday 3Bye Puerto Rico Bayamón10–1 (A)Matchday 4 New York Red Bulls1–0 (H)ByeMatchday 5Bye Comunicaciones2–0 (H)Matchday 6 New York Red Bulls1–1 (A)Group 8 winnerFinal standingsGroup 3 winnerOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legChampionship stageOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg Saprissa5–03–0 (A)2–0 (H)Quarterfinals Pachuca3–3 (a)2–2 (A)1–1 (H) Herediano6–30–3 (A)6–0 (H)Semifinals Alajuelense4–4 (a)2–0 (H)2–4 (A)
Rules The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule would be used if the aggregate score was level after normal time of the second leg, but not after extra time, and so the final would be decided by penalty shoot-out if the aggregate score was level after extra time of the second leg.
Matches
First leg Montreal Impact took the lead in the 16th minute after Ignacio Piatti received a pass from Dominic Oduro to shoot home inside the penalty area. América equalized in the 89th minute, as half-time substitute Oribe Peralta, who was subbed on for Martinez, headed in Rubens Sambueza's free kick. Shortly after the equalizer, Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush was shown a yellow card for kicking the ball Paul Aguilar, however, replays show that Aguilar jumped in front of the ball as Bush was kicking it away. Aguilar then proceeded to punch Bush in the face, which went unpunished. This yellow card was crucial, as it suspended Bush for the second leg of the final.
GK 23 Moisés Muñoz DF 22 Paul Aguilar DF 4 Erik Pimentel DF 12 Pablo Aguilar DF 6 Miguel Samudio MF 5 Cristian Pellerano MF 10 Osvaldo Martínez MF 11 Michael Arroyo MF 14 Rubens Sambueza (c) FW 3 Darwin Quintero FW 9 Darío Benedetto Substitutions: GK 1 Hugo González MF 8 Moisés Velasco DF 15 Osmar Mares MF 21 José Guerrero FW 24 Oribe Peralta FW 28 Martín Zúñiga DF 30 Zaid VeynaManager: Gustavo Matosas GK 1 Evan Bush DF 6 Hassoun Camara DF 5 Bakary Soumaré DF 23 Laurent Ciman DF 25 Donny Toia MF 15 Andrés Romero MF 14 Nigel Reo-Coker (c) MF 16 Calum Mallace MF 11 Dilly Duka FW 10 Ignacio Piatti FW 7 Dominic OduroSubstitutions: DF 3 Eric Miller MF 8 Patrice Bernier DF 51 Maxim Tissot MF 55 Wandrille Lefèvre FW 99 Jack McInerney GK 41 John Smits FW 13 Kenny CooperManager: Frank Klopas
Assistant referees: Cristian Ramírez (Honduras) Oscar Velásquez (Honduras) Fourth official: Armando Castro (Honduras)
Second leg Montreal Impact took the lead in the 8th minute, after Andrés Romero received Ignacio Piatti's pass, dribbled on goal and scored. Darío Benedetto had a golden chance just a few minutes later when he had a seemingly open goal from 4 yards out, but his shot hit the crossbar and the Impact cleared the ball away. Piatti had a great chance to extend the lead for Montreal midway through the first half, but Moisés Muñoz made a great save for Club America. The lead lasted until the 50th minute, as Darío Benedetto equalized for América with a scissor kick from Osvaldo Martínez's cross. América took the lead in the 65th minute, when Darwin Quintero headed the ball across goal for Oribe Peralta to head it in. Benedetto increased América's lead two minutes later as he stabbed in a cross from Miguel Samudio, and completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute with a curling shot after another assist from Quintero. Jack McInerney added a consolation goal in the 88th minute as he scored from Piatti's pass.
GK 30 Kristian Nicht DF 14 Nigel Reo-Coker (c) DF 5 Bakary Soumaré DF 23 Laurent Ciman DF 25 Donny Toia MF 15 Andrés Romero MF 16 Calum Mallace MF 10 Ignacio Piatti MF 33 Marco Donadel MF 11 Dilly Duka FW 7 Dominic Oduro Substitutions: GK 40 Maxime Crépeau DF 51 Maxim Tissot DF 3 Eric Miller MF 8 Patrice Bernier MF 55 Wandrille Lefèvre FW 99 Jack McInerney FW 13 Kenny CooperManager: Frank Klopas GK 23 Moisés Muñoz DF 22 Paul Aguilar DF 17 Ventura Alvarado DF 12 Pablo Aguilar DF 6 Miguel Samudio MF 3 Darwin Quintero MF 21 José Guerrero MF 10 Osvaldo Martínez MF 14 Rubens Sambueza (c) FW 24 Oribe Peralta FW 9 Darío Benedetto Substitutions: GK 1 Hugo González DF 4 Erik Pimentel DF 15 Osmar Mares MF 5 Cristian Pellerano MF 11 Michael Arroyo FW 27 José Madueña FW 28 Martín ZúñigaManager: Gustavo Matosas
Assistant referees: Leonel Leal (Costa Rica) Octavio Jara (Costa Rica) Fourth official: Jefrrey Solís (Costa Rica)
References
External links CONCACAF Champions League , CONCACAF.com