Seattle clinches berth in quarterfinals, Galaxy edges closer

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Sep 19, 2012

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] The Seattle Sounders became the first team to clinch a berth in the quarterfinals of the 2012-13 Concacaf Champions League when they held off Marathon of Honduras, 3-2, in San Pedro Sula thanks to goals from Sammy Ochoa, Eddie Johnson and Brad Evans. Fielding an entirely different starting lineup from the team that beat the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on Friday night, the MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy settled for a 0-0 tie at the NASL's Puerto Rico Islanders on Wednesday, a result that left it in good shape to win its group.

Honduran Mario Martinez set up Ochoa for a header and Andy Rose found Johnson for the second Seattle goal, but both times Marathon responded on goals by Mario Berrios from the penalty spot.

But 10 minutes after Berrios' second goal, subs Evans and Osvaldo Alonso teamed up to put the Sounders ahead for good. Alonso's cross found Evans, who beat Marathon keeper Jose Mendoza with a header.

The Galaxy had beaten the Islanders, 4-0, with a "B" team at home but struggled in the return game at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium. Landon Donovan came on for the last half hour, while fellow DPs David Beckham and Robbie Keane were left at home.

The result left the Galaxy with seven points, four more than Isidro Metapan of El Salvador, which has a game in hand.

A Galaxy win or tie at Metapan in the group finale on Oct. 25 or a Puerto Rico win over Metapan on Sept. 27 in Bayamon will move the MLS champs back into the quarterfinals. (The first tiebreaker is head-to-head.)

Seattle 19 in San Pedro Sula
Marathon 2 Seattle Sounders 3. Goals: Berrios (pen.) 34, (pen.) 67; Ochoa 11, Johnson 61 Evans 77.
Marathon -- Mendoza, Sabillon, P.Martinez (Arzu 77), Castro, Berrios, Acevedo, Mayorquin, Rapalo, Brown, Diamond (Flores 69), Sandoval (Altamirano  46)
Seattle Sounders -- Gspurning, Burch, Ianni, Hurtado, Scott, M.Martinez, Carrasco, Caskey (Alonso 61), Rose (Evans 67), Johnson (Montero 77), Ochoa.

Sept. 19 in Bayamon
Puerto Rico Islanders 0 Los Angeles Galaxy 0.
Puerto Rico Islanders -- Martin, Needham, Rivera (Marrero 66), Edward, Martinez, Vazquez, Delgado (Ramos 77), Nurse, van Schaik (Hansen 70), Addlery, Foley.
Los Angeles Galaxy -- Perk, Boyens, Meyer, Gaul, Stephens, Jimenez, Garcia, Noonan (Donovan 60), Buddle, Walker (Juninho, 80), Villarreal (Sarvas 66).