Game of the Year Candidate in Mexico & FIFA Actually Get Something Right.

This was, by far, the single best CONCACAF Champions League game I have ever seen. Of course it’s the only CONCACAF CL game I’ve ever seen. And I really only saw half, but let’s not let details and facts cloud the scintillating glow of this game.

The Montreal Impact went into the game with a 2-0 lead on aggregate after dazzling their 55k fans in Quebec. The half-time score in Mexico was 2-1 to Montreal, effectively sending Santos Laguna crashing out of the CCL.

Four goals in a half? Please. That’s simply impossible. Except no one told the Mexicans.

The second half looked like something out of a training video. I’m not sure Montreal ever got out of their final 20 more than a half dozen times and to say they had 15% possession may be generous – even 10% might be exaggerating. And when you can’t really defend in the first place, sitting back for 45 minutes against a team with a cavalry’s worth of attackers isn’t going to turn out all that spectacularly.

Needing to win 5-2 after Montreal’s first half away goals, the game seemed done and dusted in the 90th minute with Santos up 3-2 but down on aggregate 4-3. Enter Carlos Darwin Quintero, a Lilliputian 21yo attacker from Colombia.

Words fail, so feel free to watch the final six minutes for yourselves – and make sure to notice how karma once again reigned supreme after the mind-boggling penalty no-call (3:07).

But what’s most amazing about all of this? FIFA named Quintero in its “Players To Watch In 2009″ list just last month.

FIFA can’t get anything right and yet they hit the nail squarely on the head here? Pigs be flyin’.

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Category: CONCACAF, World Football