Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s run in the Concacaf Champions Cup ended at the Round of 16 last night at the National Stadium as they fell 3-0 to LA Galaxy in the second leg, for a 6-0 aggregate defeat.
Mt Pleasant came into the second leg with a big task to overcome after losing 3-0 in the first leg at the Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
Their night started poorly when Joao Klauss opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Gabriel Pec doubled the lead in the 61st.
Pec returned for his brace, and his team’s third, in the 87th to confirm the result.
LA Galaxy had the first real chance of the night as poor passing around the back by Mt Pleasant gave Pec the space to run into the box but he could not find the finish.
The deadlock was broken in the 18th minute from a corner kick routine when Klauss, after a failed Mt Pleasant clearance at the front post, was left free in the box to turn in a header from point-blank range.
Mt Pleasant snatched at a chance three minutes later but Raheem Edwards attempt was wide of the mark.
The visitors looked set for their second just past the half-hour mark when Harbor Miller danced past two defenders to enter the box, but he was closed down before he could get his shot off.
Mt Pleasant had their best look at goal in the first half when Alex Marshall won a free kick just outside the box. His resulting effort, however, went straight into LA Galaxy’s defensive wall.
SECOND-HALF SURGE
Mt Pleasant started the second half with promise and Edwards looked to have found an equaliser five minutes after the restart but his shot from close range rustled the wrong side of the net.
The hosts came close a second time, and should have gotten their goal, when Brown skipped past the goalkeeper. But, forced into an tight angle, Brown went for the goal rather than playing in Edwards who was charging into the box and missed his attempt.
LA Galaxy bagged their second on the night against the run of play as Pec, using his turn of pace, sped past his markers with ease and finished comfortably around Davis.
They added their third, and final, in the final 10 minutes when Pec was fastest to react in the box and finished into an empty net.
He capitalised on an initial shot from Miller that was parried by goalkeeper Shaquan Davis.
It’s the second year in a row that a Jamaican team has been eliminated at the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup, after Cavalier’s 4-0 aggregate loss to Inter Miami last season.
