LAFC’s Ilie Sanchez, left, kicks the ball as Club Leon’s Elías Hernández defends during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s William Tesillo, right, battles for the ball with LAFC’s Kwadwo Opoku during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s William Tesillo celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s William Tesillo celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Fans of Club Leon cheer for their team during the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead, left, and Club Leon’s Víctor Dávila battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Carlos Vela drives the ball up the field during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against Club Leon on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon coach Nicolás Larcamón reacts on the sideline during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Kwadwo Opoku, left, and Club Leon’s José Alvarado battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Víctor Dávila, front, battles for the ball with LAFC’s Denil Maldonado during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Ángel Mena celebrates after scoring on a penalty kick during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Fans of Club Leon cheer for their team during the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Aaron Long, right, and Club Leon’s Lucas Di Yorio battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota reacts during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Joel Campbell, left, and LAFC’s Erik Dueñas battle in pursuit of the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy directs his teammates as he looks to send the ball up the field during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against Club Leon on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Diego Palacios, left, and Club Leon’s Víctor Dávila, back left, battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Lucas Di Yorio, left, battles for the ball with LAFC’s Aaron Long during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Joel Campbell, left, and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC’s Stipe Biuk, left, and Club Leon’s Jaine Barreiro battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Joel Campbell, center, vies for the ball with LAFC’s Diego Palacios, right, during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Joel Campbell, left, and LAFC’s Erik Dueñas battle for the ball during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Elías Hernández reacts during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club León’s Elías Hernández, left, battles for the ball with LAFC’s Jose Cifuentes during the first leg match of their CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night in León, Mexico. León won, 2-1. The second leg match is Sunday night in Los Angeles. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club Leon’s Joel Campbell moves the ball up the field as LAFC’s Denis Bouanga gives chase during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy goalkeeper reacts during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final against Club Leon on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Fans of Club Leon cheer for their team prior to the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
A Club Leon fan cheers for his team prior to the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Fans of Club Leon cheer for their team prior to the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against LAFC on Wednesday night in Leon, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Club León came out aggressive, pounced on LAFC miscues and took the opening leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final, 2-1, on Wednesday night in front of 20,517 at Estadio León in León, Mexico.
LAFC has spent weeks navigating a busy schedule filled with MLS matches and the U.S. Open Cup, while León had not played since May 7, but the hosts showed no signs of rust and gave their supporters something to cheer early.
William Tesillo scored on a header off a corner kick just eight minutes into the match and León kept the pressure on throughout. The hosts recorded 28 touches in LAFC’s box in the first half, which is the most the team has ever allowed in any half.
LAFC nearly reached the intermission down by just one goal, but defender Ryan Hollingshead was called for a handball in the box after a video review during first-half stoppage time. Angel Mena converted the ensuing penalty kick to send León to the locker room with additional momentum.
León doubles its advantage over LAFC right before the half thanks to Ángel Mena from the spot! ⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/OJIBsMDSa5
LAFC never got much going offensively, mustering just two shots on goal – one by Jose Cifuentes early and one by Stipe Biuk in the 64th minute – and errant passes contributed to a largely stress-free night for León goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota.
The one positive for LAFC on a night when the MLS champions were clearly outplayed was a late goal from Denis Bouanga. In the 96th minute, Carlos Vela sent a pass to Sergi Palencia, who then set up Bouanga for his seventh goal of the tournament.
The second leg of the final, which will be decided on aggregate goals, is Sunday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where LAFC has lost just 14 times in 103 games. LAFC can also point to the past for motivation. The club trailed León 2-0 after one leg in the Round of 16 in 2020 before earning a 3-0 comeback win at home to advance.