MLS teams split 3-2 decisions on road
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 23, 2010
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Real Salt Lake became the first MLS team to win a Concacaf Champions League match in the group stage on the road this season when it
beat Panama's Arabe Unido, 3-2, and took over first place in Group A. The Seattle Sounders also appeared headed to victory on the road, but Mexico's Monterrey blitzed them for three goals in four
minutes and won, 3-2.
After falling behind in the second minute, RSL scored three unanswered goals -- two by Will Johnson and one by Alvaro Saborio -- to take a 3-1 lead at halftime and then held off Arabe Unido to take over first place in Group A with its three win in four games.
The
Sounders started a reserve team but were on the verge of becoming the first MLS team to win a Concacaf match in Mexico when they took a 2-0 lead on an own goal in the 27th minute and Michael Fucito's goal just before halftime and held off Monterrey deep into the second half.
But everything went wrong, beginning in the 74th minute when
defender Zach Scott played Aldo De Nigris onside, allowing him to head home a rebound after Chilean World Cup star Humberto Suazo's shot was well saved by Terry Boss.
A minute later, Suazo, a second-half substitute, broke free
thanks to a back heel from De Negris to the far post.
Boss then took down Suazo in the area, and Luis Perez completed Monterrey's comeback with the
winning goal from the penalty spot in the 77th minute.
The loss was the fourth in four games for Seattle.
Sept. 22 in Panama City
Arabe Unido 2 Real Salt Lake 3. Goals: Aguilar 2, Angulo 53; Johnson 10, 43, Saborio 36.
Arabe Unido -- Marin
Carroll (De la Cruz, 58), Cummings, Santamaria, Roderick (Mosquera, 46), Jaramillo, Justavino, Angulo, Caesar, Aguilar, Londono (Rodriguez, 46).
Real Salt Lake -- Rimando, Beltran, Olave, Schuler, Johnson, Beckerman, Grabavoy, Russell, Gonzalez (Warner, 82), Saborio (Alexandre, 75), Espindola (Findley, 60).
Red Card: Real Salt Lake -- Espindola 87.
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico).
Sept. 22 in Monterrey
Monterrey 3 Seattle Sounders FC 2. Goals: De Negris 74, Suazo 75, Perez (pen.) 77; own goal 27, Fucito 44.
Monterrey -- Orozco, Meza, Davino (Perez 53), Morales, De Nigris, Carreno, Ayovi, Paredes (Suazo 61), Mier, Perez (Cardozo 45), Arellano.
Seattle Sounders FC -- Boss, Scott, Marshall, Graham, Wahl, Estrada, Fernandez, Seamon (Sturgis 84), Montano (Nyassi 66), Jaqua (Montero 73), Fucito.
Red Card: Monterrey -- Arellano 90.
Referee: Marlon Mejia (El Salvador).
Att.: 19,617.
The loss was the fourth in four games for Seattle. In this tournament.