[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Having lost three straight Mexican league games -- two by 3-0 scores at home -- struggling Pachuca needed all the breaks it could get to survive its Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal series with Comunaciones. The Guatemala City club had two players sent off two minutes apart in the second half, and Pachuca went on to win, 2-1, and advance to the semifinals, 3-2, on aggregate.

Luis Montes scored with two minutes remaining to give Pachuca the first berth in the semifinals.

American referee Terry Vaughn sent off Carlos Gallardo for a two-footed slide tackle on Paul Aguilar and former Columbus Crew midfielder Fredy Thompson was ejected for shoving Javier Munoz from behind.

Aguilar put Pachuca, the 2007 and 2008 Concacaf champion, ahead in the 72nd minute, but Comunicaciones equalized three minutes later in Costa Rican Rolando Fonseca's penalty kick.

American Jose Francisco Torres played the entire game for Pachuca.

SCHEDULE:
Wednesday
TOLUCA-COLUMBUS CREW (TeleFutura, live) 8 pm ET.
CRUZ AZUL-ARABE UNIDO (Galavision, live) 10 pm ET.

Thursday
UNAM-MARATHON (Galavision, live) 10 pm ET.