CONCACAF Champions League, Semifinals: Monterrey Beats Cruz Azul 2-1 In First Leg

Monterrey took a 2-1 lead over Cruz Azul in their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal on Wednesday behind goals from Sergio Santana and Neri Cardoza. Monterrey ran their unbeaten streak in CCL to nine matches, and have now won eight of those matches.

Santana scored his goal in the 57th minute, breaking up what had been a tied match. Cruz Azul had tied the score about eight minutes earlier on an Adrian Cortes free kick.

The second of the two CONCACAF Champions League semifinals (this one also known as the regional final of the Mexico division) matches up two teams with loads of recent success in the Primera Division. Monterrey and Cruz Azul have been the two most consistent Mexican clubs in recent seasons, both establishing themselves as permanent fixtures near the top of the standings, with Monterrey claiming two of the last three league titles. Cruz Azul, in spite of this recent success, are still in many ways known more for their failures. La Maquina have repeatedly come up short on the championship stage in the Mexican Primera, finishing as league runners-up in three of the last six seasons, a trend that has duplicated itself in CCL play. The perennial bridesmaids, Cruz Azul have reached the CCL final in each of the last two years. Both times, though, they came away empty-handed; losing out to Atlante in 2009, and falling in dramatic fashion to Pachuca in a last second stoppage-time goal one year ago.

In league play so far this season both teams have been solid, if unspectacular. Monterrey have had a bit of a struggle (at least by their usual high standards), suffering four losses already this year – a number which matches their loss total from the previous two regular seasons combined. During the past month the Rayados have also been forced to weather the loss of star striker Humberto Suazo, who has been out of commission recovering from a shoulder injury. Suazo has been back training with the team this week, and may make a return to the field on Wednesday night, albeit most likely coming off the bench.

Both of these teams are renowned for their ability to hold serve at home. Real Salt Lake currently carries a 34-match unbeaten streak into Tuesday’s match. But merely not losing will probably not be enough, in this case, as Saprissa has claimed 73 percent of available points in international competitions at home since 2004. The Purple Dragon has lost just three of 26 international matches in that time and has outscored opponents by an average of more than a goal.

Stylistically, these teams should produce a fun match. Although both play solid defense, they also feature some creative playmakers that are deadly when given space. During this CCL, Real Salt Lake has been the much better offensive side, scoring a CCL-best 21 goals in their eight matches. Saprissa, though, are no offensive slouches, though. Although they’ve scored just 14 goals in CCL, they are tied for their domestic league lead with 22 goals through 11 matches.

Whether by design or by luck of the draw, the two sides of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals are lining up in very different ways. On one side you have two big-money Mexican teams almost smack dab in the middle of their seasons. On the other, you have the relatively smaller-spending teams from MLS and Costa Rica. For the first time in the current incarnation of the CCL, we are guaranteed to only have one team from Mexico in the championship game.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean the finals are guaranteed to feel a lot different than they have in the recent past. Cruz Azul, who will be playing Monterrey in one semifinal, is trying to become the second team in the 38-year history of the confederation’s championship series to make three straight appearances in the final. Coincidentally, the last team to pull off that feat was also Cruz Azul, who won three straight titles 1969-1971.