Chivas beat Toronto FC on penalties to win first CONCACAF Champions League in 56 years

Chivas Guadalajara were crowned the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League winners after defeating Toronto FC 4-2 on penalties on Wednesday.

Chivas came into this match with a crucial 2-1 advantage in the scoreline following a first leg victory in snowy Toronto.

The Canadian side had been sluggish to start the first leg, and it was deja vu as Chivas grabbed an early breakthrough in the 19th minute through Orbelin Pineda.

Toronto FC, however, had been typically spirited after conceding, and after a mix up on a corner, Nicolas Hasler found Jozy Altidore inside the box to put the Canadians within one.

Toronto continued to look threatening, and in the 44th minute, Marco Delgado put Sebastian Giovinco into space, with the Italian forward surging through the left before guiding his shot into the bottom corner of the net to level the score on aggregate.

In the second half, neither team looked content to go to penalties, but it was Chivas who started to dominate the proceedings. The Rebaño made Toronto sweat early on when youngster Jesus Godinez struck the woodwork from a shot from the left side of the box.

Eduardo “La Chofis” Lopez then had a golden opportunity to give Chivas the lead, but after dribbling his way to the endline, the forward could only force a good save from the keeper.

With the match heading to penalties, the best chance of the night may have fallen to Marky Delgado. In the final seconds of the match, a quick pass from Giovinco found a wide open Delgado, but the former Chivas USA midfielder could only watch his shot go high and wide.

Once in the penalty shootout, Chivas did not miss. With Michael Bradley needing to score Toronto’s final penalty, the US international sent his penalty skyward as Chivas were crowned North American champions for the first time in 56 years.