Cruz Azul ends CF Montréal's Champions League run in quarter-finals

Uriel Antuna’s goal in the 44th minute proved to be the difference as 21,388 Olympic Stadium spectators leave disappointed after 1-1 draw.

CF Montréal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza watches helplessly as a shot by Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna gets by him Wednesday night at Olympic Stadium. jpg

For the second consecutive week, Uriel Antuna stuck a dagger into the heart of CF Montréal. This time he helped end CF Montréal’s Champions League run.

Antuna’s goal in the 44th minute proved to be the difference in Cruz Azul’s 1-1 draw against CFM Wednesday night before 21,388 disappointed Olympic Stadium spectators.

The Mexican side captured the two-leg aggregate 2-1, Antuna’s goal last week sending the Liga MX club to a 1-0 victory in the Mexico City opener.

Rudy Camacho’s goal in the 79th Wednesday at least gave CFM some short-lived life, although it required three goals to advance. CFM was attempting to reach the semifinal round of the prestigious tournament for the first time since 2015.

There was a major development to start the match. Cruz Azul’s veteran goalkeeper, José Corona, who recorded a clean sheet last week in the opening leg, suffered an undisclosed injury and was replaced by 24-year-old Sebastian Jurado.

Jurado is considered the ‘keeper of the future, but has played only six games this season. It wasn’t surprising CFM did its best to test him, early and often. In the opening minute, Alistair Johnston’s header forced Jurado into his first stop.

Last week, CFM was outshot, 19-1 — and that shot wasn’t on target.

Cruz Azul is strong on set pieces, and the visitors came close in the eighth, Angel Romero’s header off a Carlos Rodriguez corner went just wide.

CFM’ keeper Sebastian Breza had to be sharp in the opening half. In the 16th, he made a brilliant kick stop on Antuna after Santiago Gimenez beat veteran defender Camacho.

Breza was also well positioned in the 25th, when he had to stop Rodriguez off another Camacho turnover.

The home side came close on the 29th, when Lassi Lappalainen sat a cross into the area. The ball deflected off Pablo Aguilar to Romell Quioto. His header missed the target, but it might have been CFM’s best opportunity of the half.

Camacho nearly broke the deadlock in the 41st. He got his head on a Djordje Mihailovic corner. But Camacho failed to find a corner and Jurado stood tall.

Disaster struck CF Montréal just before intermission. The play began with an Ismael Koné turnover. Romero sat a long cross over the head of Johnston. Antuna’s right-footed volley beat a helpless Breza.

It was a competitive first half for CFM, which enjoyed 65 per cent of the possession, directing five shots at Jurado — three on target. But one mistake for the home side proved disastrous. And it meant CFM had a steep hill to climb in the second half.

Realizing the daunting odds his club faced, CFM manager Wilfried Nancy inserted veteran striker Kei Kamara to begin the second half. I have replaced rookie defender Robert Thorkelsson, making his first start for the team.

And Kamara came close, twice, in the 51st and 53rd, but failed to connect after being fed by Lappalainen and Quioto, respectively. Nonetheless, CF Montréal was controlling the play.

Kamara, who has 130 career MLS goals, is still seeking his first for his new team after being recently signed as a free agent — although it’s probably only a matter of time.

CFM’s next regular-season game, before the two-week international break, comes Saturday afternoon, on the road against Atlanta United.

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