FOOTBALL
Sporting Kansas City 2 Monterrey 5 (agg 2-10): Tigres await in Champions League final
Monterrey set up an all-Mexican CONCACAF Champions League final with Tigres UANL after dismantling Sporting Kansas City 5-2 in the second leg.
Miguel Layun scored a stunning free-kick as Monterrey twice came from behind to beat hosts Sporting KC on Thursday and claim a crushing 10-2 aggregate victory.
MLS outfit Sporting KC faced an uphill battle in the semi-final clash following their humiliating 5-0 defeat to the three-time champions in Guadalupe last week.
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Gerso Fernandes put Sporting KC ahead on the night thanks to his sixth-minute opener at Children's Mercy Park, though their slim hopes of reaching the final were dashed by Rogelio Funes Mori 14 minutes later.
¡Golazooo! @Miguel_layun nos regaló esta joya gol para que @Rayados tome ventaja 3-2 sobre @SportingKC! #SCCL2019 #SKCvMTY pic.twitter.com/8Fp7vscCb5— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) April 12, 2019
Fernandes struck again in the 29th minute but Rodolfo Pizarro – like team-mate Funes Mori – responded to restore parity 10 minutes prior to half-time in Kansas City.
After Ilie Sanchez's unsuccessful penalty on the stroke of half-time, Monterrey's former Porto and Watford winger Layun curled a free-kick past Sporting KC goalkeeper Timothy Melia in the 61st minute.
Aviles Hurtado and Funes Mori sealed the semi-final rout during the closing stages as Monterrey progressed to the Champions League decider for the first time since 2013.
The two-legged final will get underway later this month, with Mexican rivals Tigres hosting the first match.
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