LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - A last-gasp penalty from Hungarian international Daniel Gazdag gave Philadelphia Union a 1-0 victory over Mexico's Atlas FC in their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Gazdag stepped up to score from the spot in the 89th minute to give the Major League Soccer side a slender advantage for next week's return leg in Mexico.

Philadelphia were awarded the penalty after Atlas goalkeeper Camilo Vargas brought down Julian Carranza in the penalty area late in the game at Subaru Park.

Until that point, Vargas had almost single-handedly kept Atlas in the game, pulling off a string of superb saves to thwart Philadelphia.

Atlas had looked the likelier winners during the first half, creating a series of promising openings but unable to find a goal.

Union goalkeeper Andre Blake pulled off a superb block to deny Julian Quinones in the 25th minute, before Damion Lowe cleared the Colombian's follow-up off the line.

Atlas were reduced to 10 men just before half time when Anderson Santamaria was given a straight red for a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity after a clumsy challenge on Gazdag.

Yet despite the advantage of an extra man, the Union struggled to break down Atlas, with Vargas superb in the Mexican goal until the late penalty settled the game.

In Tuesday's other quarter-final, Mexico's Leon all but sealed a place in the semi-finals after thrashing Haitian side Violette 5-0.

Violette had upset MLS side Austin FC in the last 16, but Leon were in no mood to be their latest victims and clinched an emphatic win.

Angel Mena fired Leon ahead after eight minutes before two goals from Victor Davila made it 3-0 with six minutes remaining.

Injury time goals from Lucas Di Yorio and Elias Hernandez killed off the tie.

Wednesday's quarter-final games see Motagua of Honduras face Mexico's Tigres UANL while the Vancouver Whitecaps take on MLS champions Los Angeles FC.