Forge FC saw the first CONCACAF Champions League campaign of a Canadian Premier League club come to an end in the round of 16 on Thursday night.
The Hamilton-based team lost to Mexico’s Cruz Azul 3-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a week after being defeated 1-0 at the Tim Hortons Field in the first-leg.
Angel Romero, Rafael Baca and Juan Escobar scored for the Mexicans in the first half.
Canadian forward David Choinière replied for Forge to make it 2-1 in the 26th minute, scoring the first goal of a CPL club in the tournament.
GOAL 🔨<br><br>DAVID CHOINIERE 🤝 Scoring in Concacaf<br><br>An excellent response by <a href=”https://twitter.com/ForgeFCHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ForgeFCHamilton</a> vs. Cruz Azul in this <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/SCCL22?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#SCCL22</a> battle, as Choiniere scores to bring the aggregate score to 3-1<br><br>Two to go for the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanPL</a> side 👀<br><br>WATCH 🔴 <a href=”https://t.co/7JFAUhgjL6″>https://t.co/7JFAUhgjL6</a> <a href=”https://t.co/1H94k9os1k”>pic.twitter.com/1H94k9os1k</a>
—@onesoccer
Forge became the first CPL side to qualify for the flagship club competition in North and Central America and the Caribbean last November, by making to the 2021 Scotiabank CONCACAF League semifinals.
MLS club CF Montreal is now the only Canadian team still in the competition, having ousted Santos Laguna of Mexico in the round of 16.
Montreal and Cruz Azul will meet in a quarter-final.
