When LAFC and Tigres UANL take to the field on Tuesday (10 pm ET | FS2, TUDN), there will be a little bit more on the line than just the CONCACAF Champions League trophy.
The race for the competition's Golden Boot is very much still on, and with LAFC's Carlos Vela and Tigres' Andre-Pierre Gignac tied atop the standings with five goals each, a goal could secure a personal and collective prize.
The two have been neck and neck all season, scoring at the same rate. Both players opened up their scoring accounts with braces in the Round of 16, Vela's against Leon and Gignac's versus Alianza. In the quarterfinals, both scored a goal each, and then both picked up another brace in the semifinals over the weekend. Three of Gignac's five goals were penalties, including the two he scored in the semifinal, while only one of Vela's has come from the spot.
As things stand, Gignac has the advantage over Vela. The tiebreak for the award is assists, and the Frenchman picked up two assists along the way, while Vela currently has none. Should Vela manage to equal Gignac's assist total during the final while still being level on goals scored, the player who has fewer minutes played will win. Right now, that benefits Vela, who has played 360 minutes while Gignac has played 450, but the balance could shift there as Gignac is a doubt for the final with a thigh contusion.
