The 2012 CONCACAF Champions League final was the final of the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, the 4th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format, and overall the 47th 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 a two-leg aggregate format on 18 and 25 April 2012, between two Mexican teams, Monterrey and Santos Laguna. After winning the first leg 2–0, a 2–1 loss in the second leg gave Monterrey the title 3–2 on aggregate. As a result, Monterrey earned the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the quarterfinal stage.

Background

For the third time in four seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final was played between two Mexican sides. This guaranteed a Mexican champion for the seventh straight year and 28th time since the confederation began staging the tournament in 1962 (including the tournament's predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup).

Monterrey were the defending champions, winning the title in 2010–11 after beating Real Salt Lake in the final. They defeated two Mexican sides in the knockout round.

Santos Laguna's previous best record was in 2008–09 when they reached the semifinals. Santos Laguna defeated two teams from Major League Soccer in the knockout round, scoring 6 goals in each of the two home victories.

Both teams qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League tournament by reaching the final of the Torneo Apertura 2010 in which Monterrey won with a score of 5–3.

Road to the final

Mexico MonterreyRoundMexico Santos Laguna
OpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legPreliminary roundOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg
ByeHonduras Olimpia4–33–1 (H)1–2 (A)
OpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResult
Costa Rica Herediano5–0 (A)Matchday 1Honduras Real España3–2 (H)
United States Seattle Sounders FC0–1 (H)Matchday 2El Salvador Isidro Metapán0–2 (A)
Guatemala Comunicaciones0–1 (A)Matchday 3United States Colorado Rapids4–1 (A)
Guatemala Comunicaciones3–1 (H)Matchday 4El Salvador Isidro Metapán6–0 (H)
Costa Rica Herediano1–0 (H)Matchday 5Honduras Real España1–1 (A)
United States Seattle Sounders FC2–1 (A)Matchday 6United States Colorado Rapids2–0 (H)
Group D winner Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Mexico Monterrey 6 4 0 2 11 4 +7 12 United States Seattle Sounders FC 6 3 1 2 10 7 +3 10 Guatemala Comunicaciones 6 2 1 3 8 13 −5 7 Costa Rica Herediano 6 2 0 4 6 11 −5 6Final standingsGroup B winner Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Mexico Santos Laguna 6 4 1 1 16 6 +10 13 El Salvador Isidro Metapán 6 3 0 3 10 15 −5 9 United States Colorado Rapids 6 2 1 3 9 12 −3 7 Honduras Real España 6 1 2 3 9 11 −2 5
TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Mexico Monterrey6402114+712
United States Seattle Sounders FC6312107+310
Guatemala Comunicaciones6213813−57
Costa Rica Herediano6204611−56
TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Mexico Santos Laguna6411166+1013
El Salvador Isidro Metapán63031015−59
United States Colorado Rapids6213912−37
Honduras Real España6123911−25
OpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legChampionship roundOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg
Mexico Morelia7–23–1 (A)4–1 (H)QuarterfinalsUnited States Seattle Sounders FC7–31–2 (A)6–1 (H)
Mexico UNAM4–13–0 (H)1–1 (A)SemifinalsCanada Toronto FC7–31–1 (A)6–2 (H)

Rules

Like other match-ups in the knockout round, the teams played two games, one at each team's home stadium. If the teams remained tied after 90 minutes of play during the 2nd leg, the away goals rule would be used, but not after a tie enters extra time, and so a tie would be decided by penalty shootout if the aggregate score is level after extra time.

Final summary

First leg

Monterrey Mexico2–0Mexico Santos Laguna
Suazo 60', 86'
MonterreySantos Laguna
MONTERREY: GK 1 Mexico Jonathan Orozco RB 2 Mexico Severo Meza CB 15 Argentina José María Basanta CB 21 Mexico Hiram Mier LB 5 Mexico Dárvin Chávez CM 8 Mexico Luis Ernesto Pérez (c) CM 17 Mexico Jesús Zavala 58' CM 10 Mexico Ángel Reyna RF 7 Chile Humberto Suazo 4' CF 9 Mexico Aldo de Nigris 88' LF 18 Argentina Neri Cardozo 10' 71' Substitutes: FW 13 Mexico Darío Carreño 58' MF 20 Ecuador Walter Ayoví 71' DF 6 Mexico Héctor Morales 88' Manager: Mexico Víctor Manuel VucetichSANTOS LAGUNA: GK 1 Mexico Oswaldo Sánchez (c) RB 23 Panama Felipe Baloy 40' CB 5 Mexico Aarón Galindo CB 4 Mexico Jorge Iván Estrada LB 20 Mexico Osmar Mares 73' DM 8 Mexico Juan Pablo Rodríguez CM 6 Spain Marc Crosas 86' CM 37 Mexico Cándido Ramírez 63' FW 16 United States Herculez Gomez FW 3 Colombia Carlos Quintero 83' FW 13 Ecuador Christian Suárez Substitutes: DF 28 Mexico Carlos Adrián Morales 63' MF 10 Argentina Daniel Ludueña 83' MF 17 Mexico Rodolfo Salinas 88' 86' Manager: Mexico Benjamín Galindo
MONTERREY:
GK1Mexico Jonathan Orozco
RB2Mexico Severo Meza
CB15Argentina José María Basanta
CB21Mexico Hiram Mier
LB5Mexico Dárvin Chávez
CM8Mexico Luis Ernesto Pérez (c)
CM17Mexico Jesús Zavala58'
CM10Mexico Ángel Reyna
RF7Chile Humberto Suazo4'
CF9Mexico Aldo de Nigris88'
LF18Argentina Neri Cardozo10'71'
Substitutes:
FW13Mexico Darío Carreño58'
MF20Ecuador Walter Ayoví71'
DF6Mexico Héctor Morales88'
Manager:
Mexico Víctor Manuel Vucetich
SANTOS LAGUNA:
GK1Mexico Oswaldo Sánchez (c)
RB23Panama Felipe Baloy40'
CB5Mexico Aarón Galindo
CB4Mexico Jorge Iván Estrada
LB20Mexico Osmar Mares73'
DM8Mexico Juan Pablo Rodríguez
CM6Spain Marc Crosas86'
CM37Mexico Cándido Ramírez63'
FW16United States Herculez Gomez
FW3Colombia Carlos Quintero83'
FW13Ecuador Christian Suárez
Substitutes:
DF28Mexico Carlos Adrián Morales63'
MF10Argentina Daniel Ludueña83'
MF17Mexico Rodolfo Salinas88'86'
Manager:
Mexico Benjamín Galindo
Assistant referees: Marvin Torrentera (Mexico) Marcos Quintero (Mexico) Fourth official: Ricardo Arellano (Mexico)

Second leg

Santos Laguna Mexico2−1Mexico Monterrey
Ludueña 45+3' Peralta 51'Cardozo 82'
Santos LagunaMonterrey
SANTOS LAGUNA: GK 1 Mexico Oswaldo Sánchez (c) RB 19 Mexico Rafael Figueroa CB 5 Mexico Aarón Galindo CB 4 Mexico Jorge Iván Estrada LB 14 Mexico César Ibáñez DM 8 Mexico Juan Pablo Rodríguez CM 10 Argentina Daniel Ludueña 45+2' 57' CM 17 Mexico Rodolfo Salinas 84' FW 24 Mexico Oribe Peralta FW 3 Colombia Carlos Quintero FW 13 Ecuador Christian Suárez 73' Substitutes: MF 16 United States Herculez Gómez 57' DF 28 Mexico Carlos Adrián Morales 73' MF 10 Mexico Cándido Ramírez 84' Manager: Mexico Benjamín GalindoMONTERREY: GK 1 Mexico Jonathan Orozco 7' RB 2 Mexico Severo Meza CB 15 Argentina José María Basanta CB 21 Mexico Hiram Mier LB 5 Mexico Dárvin Chávez CM 8 Mexico Luis Ernesto Pérez (c) 90+1' CM 17 Mexico Jesús Zavala 33' CM 10 Mexico Ángel Reyna 65' RF 19 Argentina César Delgado 84' CF 9 Mexico Aldo de Nigris 5' 87' LF 18 Argentina Neri Cardozo Substitutes: MF 20 Ecuador Walter Ayoví 65' FW 13 Mexico Darío Carreño 84' DF 6 Mexico Héctor Morales 87' Manager: Mexico Víctor Manuel Vucetich
SANTOS LAGUNA:
GK1Mexico Oswaldo Sánchez (c)
RB19Mexico Rafael Figueroa
CB5Mexico Aarón Galindo
CB4Mexico Jorge Iván Estrada
LB14Mexico César Ibáñez
DM8Mexico Juan Pablo Rodríguez
CM10Argentina Daniel Ludueña45+2'57'
CM17Mexico Rodolfo Salinas84'
FW24Mexico Oribe Peralta
FW3Colombia Carlos Quintero
FW13Ecuador Christian Suárez73'
Substitutes:
MF16United States Herculez Gómez57'
DF28Mexico Carlos Adrián Morales73'
MF10Mexico Cándido Ramírez84'
Manager:
Mexico Benjamín Galindo
MONTERREY:
GK1Mexico Jonathan Orozco7'
RB2Mexico Severo Meza
CB15Argentina José María Basanta
CB21Mexico Hiram Mier
LB5Mexico Dárvin Chávez
CM8Mexico Luis Ernesto Pérez (c)90+1'
CM17Mexico Jesús Zavala33'
CM10Mexico Ángel Reyna65'
RF19Argentina César Delgado84'
CF9Mexico Aldo de Nigris5'87'
LF18Argentina Neri Cardozo
Substitutes:
MF20Ecuador Walter Ayoví65'
FW13Mexico Darío Carreño84'
DF6Mexico Héctor Morales87'
Manager:
Mexico Víctor Manuel Vucetich
Assistant referees: José Luis Camargo (Mexico) Alberto Morín (Mexico) Fourth official: Mauricio Morales (Mexico)

External links

  • official website