Table of Contents
Opening-round first legs brought clarity fast.
Nashville SC struck twice in the second half to take control of its series against Atletico Ottawa. LAFC left no doubt in Honduras, exploding for six goals and effectively ending its tie before halftime. With the second legs set for Feb. 24, the bracket picture is already coming into focus.
Two very different scripts. One narrow road advantage. One overwhelming statement.
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Latest Concacaf Odds & Series Outlook
First-leg margins matter in total-goal formats. A 2-0 road win gives Nashville flexibility in the return leg. A five-goal aggregate cushion puts LAFC in near-cruise control.
Books will adjust series pricing heavily after results like these. Goal differential, away goals pressure, and projected rotation decisions in second legs all become variables.
Track matchup projections and tournament lines on the soccer odds and scores board.
Concacaf Picks of the Day
Second legs introduce a different dynamic. Teams trailing by multiple goals often press aggressively, which can inflate tempo and open space for counters.
Evaluating urgency, defensive risk, and aggregate context becomes critical. Compare expert projections and performance trends on the picks leaderboard.
Top Takeaways
- Nashville SC earned a clean-sheet road win and carries a two-goal aggregate advantage into the return leg.
- LAFC’s six-goal outburst leaves Real España facing a near-impossible comeback scenario.
- Counterattacks proved decisive in both matches.
- Set-piece and penalty efficiency shaped the early separation in Honduras.
- Second legs will test game management rather than raw attacking output.
Concacaf Champions League Game Recaps
Nashville SC vs Atletico Ottawa Recap: Nashville wins 2-0
Nashville SC broke through in the 66th minute when Woobens Pacius finished a well-constructed move down the left flank. Josh Bauer, Warren Madrigal, and Alex Muyl combined fluidly before Matthew Corcoran slipped the decisive pass into the area. Pacius created space and slotted a 14-yard right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.
The match remained tense until stoppage time. With Ottawa pushing numbers forward and its goalkeeper caught upfield, Nashville executed a counterattack to seal the result. Cristian Espinoza squared the ball across the box for Sam Surridge, who tapped into an empty net in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
The 2-0 advantage puts Nashville in firm control ahead of the Feb. 24 return leg at home, where the winner will advance to face reigning MLS Cup champion Inter Miami in the round of 16.
LAFC vs Real España Recap: LAFC wins 6-1
LAFC delivered a dominant performance in San Pedro Sula behind Denis Bouanga’s hat trick. Bouanga opened the scoring in the third minute with a penalty kick and completed his trio in the 71st minute.
David Martinez doubled the lead in the 11th minute, curling home a counterattack initiated by Son Heung-Min. Son then converted from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute before Bouanga added another penalty two minutes later to push the score to 4-0.
Timothy Tillman’s back-heel finish made it 5-0 before halftime. Real España pulled one back through Jack Jean-Baptiste in the 51st minute, but the damage had already been done.
With a five-goal cushion, LAFC heads home for the second leg in a commanding position and is on track to face Costa Rica’s Alajuelense in the next round.
Looking Ahead
The second legs will hinge on discipline and game management. Nashville can afford patience. LAFC can rotate strategically if needed.
Early-round ties often reveal depth gaps quickly. Tuesday’s results showed which MLS sides are prepared to dictate tempo and capitalize on transition moments.
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