The 2014 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final of the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League, the 6th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format, and overall the 49th 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 two Mexican teams, Cruz Azul and Toluca. The first leg was hosted by Cruz Azul at Estadio Azul in Mexico City on 15 April 2014, while the second leg was hosted by Toluca at Estadio Nemesio Díez in Toluca on 23 April 2014. The winner earned the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage.
The first leg ended in a 0–0 draw, and the second leg ended in a 1–1 draw, giving Cruz Azul a record-setting sixth CONCACAF club title (and their first during the Champions League era) on the away goals rule.
Background For the fifth time in six seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final was played between two Mexican sides. This guaranteed a Mexican champion for the ninth straight year and 30th time since the confederation began staging the tournament in 1962 (including the tournament's predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup). Both clubs had won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, with Cruz Azul winning five times (1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997), a record they shared with América, and Toluca winning twice (1968, 2003). During the Champions League era, Cruz Azul had lost in two finals (2009, 2010), while Toluca's previous best record was reaching the semifinals.
Cruz Azul finished top of Group 3 ahead of Herediano and Valencia in the group stage, and were seeded second for the championship stage, where they eliminated Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals and Tijuana in the semifinals.
Toluca finished top of Group 6 ahead of Comunicaciones and Caledonia AIA in the group stage, and were seeded first for the championship stage, where they eliminated San Jose Earthquakes in the quarterfinals and Alajuelense in the semifinals.
Road to the final
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
Cruz AzulRound TolucaOpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResultByeMatchday 1 Caledonia AIA3–1 (H) Herediano3–0 (H)Matchday 2 Comunicaciones2–1 (A) Valencia2–1 (A)Matchday 3ByeByeMatchday 4 Caledonia AIA5–1 (A) Valencia3–0 (H)Matchday 5Bye Herediano2–1 (A)Matchday 6 Comunicaciones5–1 (H)Group 3 winnerFinal standingsGroup 6 winnerOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legChampionship stageOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg Sporting Kansas City5–20–1 (A)5–1 (H)Quarterfinals San Jose Earthquakes2–2 (5–4 p)1–1 (A)1–1 (H) Tijuana2–10–1 (A)2–0 (H)Semifinals Alajuelense3–01–0 (A)2–0 (H)
Rules The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule was used if the aggregate score was level after normal time of the second leg, but not after extra time, and so the final was decided by penalty shoot-out if the aggregate score was level after extra time of the second leg.
Matches First leg
GK 12 Guillermo Allison DF 5 Alejandro Castro DF 4 Julio Domínguez DF 15 Gerardo Flores DF 57 Emanuel Loeschbor DF 28 Rogelio Chávez MF 6 Gerardo Torrado (c) MF 8 Marco Fabián MF 33 Mauro Fórmica FW 9 Mariano Pavone FW 11 Joao Rojas Substitutions: GK 37 Javier Caso DF 55 David Stringel DF 53 Horacio Cervantes MF 7 Pablo Barrera MF 10 Christian Giménez MF 20 Achille Emaná MF 58 Héctor GutiérrezManager: Luis Fernando Tena GK 1 Alfredo Talavera DF 2 Francisco Gamboa DF 6 Miguel Ponce DF 8 Aarón Galindo DF 4 Paulo da Silva (c) MF 5 Wilson Mathías MF 15 Antonio Ríos MF 11 Carlos Esquivel MF 17 Juan Manuel Salgueiro FW 27 Isaác Brizuela FW 7 Pablo Velázquez Substitutions: GK 22 César Lozano DF 20 Miguel Almazán DF 14 Édgar Dueñas MF 16 Óscar Rojas MF 18 Emilio Orrantía FW 23 Édgar Benítez FW 29 Raúl Nava Manager: José Cardozo
Assistant referees: José Luis Camargo (Mexico) Alberto Morín (Mexico) Fourth official: César Ramos (Mexico)
Second leg
GK 1 Alfredo Talavera DF 4 Paulo da Silva (c) DF 6 Miguel Ponce DF 8 Aarón Galindo MF 16 Óscar Rojas MF 5 Wilson Mathías MF 15 Antonio Ríos MF 11 Carlos Esquivel MF 17 Juan Manuel Salgueiro FW 27 Isaác Brizuela FW 7 Pablo VelázquezSubstitutions: GK 22 César Lozano DF 14 Édgar Dueñas MF 2 Francisco Gamboa MF 19 Edy Brambila MF 21 Gabriel Velasco FW 23 Édgar Benítez FW 29 Raúl Nava Manager: José Cardozo GK 1 José de Jesús Corona DF 4 Julio Domínguez DF 15 Gerardo Flores DF 57 Emanuel Loeschbor DF 28 Rogelio Chávez MF 5 Alejandro Castro MF 6 Gerardo Torrado (c) MF 8 Marco Fabián MF 33 Mauro Fórmica FW 11 Joao Rojas FW 9 Mariano PavoneSubstitutions: GK 12 Guillermo Allison DF 14 Luis Amaranto Perea DF 53 Horacio Cervantes MF 7 Pablo Barrera MF 10 Christian Giménez MF 18 Sergio Nápoles MF 70 Ismael ValadézManager: Luis Fernando Tena
Assistant referees: Marvin Torrentera (Mexico) Marcos Quintero (Mexico) Fourth official: Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)
References
External links CONCACAF Champions League, CONCACAF.com