Toluca 0, Sporting Kansas City 2 | 2019 Concacaf Champions League Recap

Sporting Kansas City put the finishing touches on an impressive and comprehensive Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 tie, defeating 10-man Toluca, 2-0, at Estadio Nemesio Diez Thursday night.

Sporting, which took a commanding 3-0 lead after the first leg at Children’s Mercy Park, won 5-0 on aggregate and advanced to the quarterfinals where they will face Independiente, the Panamanian side that ousted Toronto FC, 5-1 on aggregate.

Gerso, who was so influential in the opening leg, got SKC their away goal inside of the opening 10 minutes. He latched onto a long cross from Roger Espinoza, cut inside of a Toluca defender and slotted past onrushing goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.

This Gerso Fernandes goal is the difference between @SportingKC and @TolucaFC at the half!#SCCL2019 #TOLvSKC pic.twitter.com/fjHBjVe2mV

— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) March 1, 2019

Krisztian Nemeth made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute, slipping his attempt under the crossbar after he was pulled back by Adrian Mora inside the box, resulting in a straight red card to the Toluca defender.

.@KNemeth_Nemo cooly slots in the penalty! @SportingKC now leads @TolucaFC 2-0#SCCL2019 #TOLvSKC pic.twitter.com/ditVfMR94Q

— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) March 1, 2019

The frustrated Toluca fanbase, who have watched their team fall to 15th in the Liga MX table, then turned on their team. They chanted “ole” on every completed SKC pass and whistled when Toluca tried to possess the ball.

SOUND ON @SportingKC fans 🔊🔊🔊#TOLvSKC #SCCL2019 pic.twitter.com/hVV1VepN08

— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) March 1, 2019

Goals

• 8’ — SKC — Gerso
• 62’ — SKC — Krisztian Nemeth (PK)

Three Things

• THE BIG PICTURE: Sporting did all the heavy lifting at home last week and just needed Gerso’s early goal to make things official and become the fourth MLS team to reach the quarterfinals and fifth to win a CCL match in Mexico. 
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Gerso made sure reeling Toluca wouldn’t get momentum, taking a sensational cross from Espinoza and scoring his second goal of the tie.
• MAN OF THE MATCH: As was the case in the opening leg, Gerso was the man. He had two of Sporting’s five goals in the tie and helped set up Nemeth’s opening salvo a week ago.

Next Up

• SKC: Sunday, March 3 at LAFC (8:30 pm ET | ESPN, WatchESPN, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)