Life in the Leagues Cup was at stake for both the Colorado Rapids and Club León, with the MLS club advancing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time, when the two clubs met to decide who was the second team to advance from West 5 on Monday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.
Zack Steffen had a busy day in goal with seven saves in regulation before making two stops in the penalty shootout. The first denial in the spot kicks came against Mexico soccer legend Andrés Guardado and the second was in the final kick against Salvador Reyes, to seal the win and avoid the shootout from going to sudden death.
Steffen turned away an outside the box attempt from Adonis Frías in the 20th minute to start his day against the eight-time Liga MX champions. The Rapids goalkeeper also came up big at the end of the first half, in the 44’ to deny an inside the box hit by Edgar Guerra to send the match scoreless into halftime.
As the match picked up steam in the closing stretch of the second half, Steffen continued to have a say in the result by blocking a Steven Mendoza shot in the 72nd minute.
León finally broke through with the opening goal in the 77th minute as Edgar Guerra pounced on a lonely ball in the box. Iván Moreno shot towards goal but was blocked by Steffen, with the ball bouncing off the right post, as Guerra swooped in for the opening goal.
The Rapids nearly tied it off a corner kick in two minutes into stoppage time, as Moïse Bombito hit a menacing header that was denied by León goalkeeper Alfonso Blanco.
Moreno was denied by the right post again in the fourth minute of stoppage time as the Liga MX pushed for the insurance goal.
The Colorado club tied the encounter in the last attacking play of the night, as Rafael Navarro struck a header inside the box, seven minutes into stoppage time, to send the match to a winner-takes-all penalty shootout.
The Rapids move on to the Round of 32, hosting FC Juárez on Friday. Club León departs the tournament and shifts its focus to the remainder of the Apertura 2024 season, hosting Santos Laguna on August 24.
