CONCACAF Champions League 2011, Matchday 5: Galaxy Win It In 90th With Juninho Goal

It was LA who generated the early chances with two golden opportunities to score in the early going, but it took until that Magee goal in the 21st minute to put them in front. The play started with a long ball from Michael Stephens that found Todd Dunivant near the end line on the left. He dragged the ball back for Magee, who slotted the ball into the side netting for the goal.

As soon as LA went in front, Morelia grabbed a hold of the match. They grabbed possession and the chances, with LA only generating one good chance after their goal when Landon Donovan sent a shot wide from 15 yards. Besides that it has been many near misses for Morelia, although they haven’t made Josh Saunders work hard. Their shots continue to go wide, but if LA allowed Morelia to control the match in the second half like they did in the final 20 minutes of the first, those shots won’t continue to go wide and LA will pay.

At no point did Dallas deserve points out of their trip to Panama. While they should have been the team playing with urgency, it was Tauro who looked confident and assured of their every moment. They ran Dallas in circles and thanks to goals by Luis Moreno, Auriel Gallardo, and Marcos Sanchez, plus a Temistocles Perez brace, they put smacked Dallas around.

The Sounders ended up going 2-0-1 in Mexico and Central America during the group stage, making them the first MLS team to go undefeated south of the border. They can become the second MLS team to win their group by getting at least a point when they host Monterrey on Oct. 18. Monterrey would win the group if they can come away with all three points.

Monterrey wasn’t supposed to have any trouble getting three points against Herediano, the worst team in Group D, but apparently someone forgot to tell the Costa Ricans that. They battled Monterrey for 90 minutes and made things tough all night to the point that it wouldn’t be ridiculous in the slightest to say they deserved a point from the match. Football doesn’t always give teams what they deserve though and Aldo de Nigris’ goal proved to be the difference as Monterrey defeated Herediano 1-0 for a key CONCACAF Champions League victory.

It took 29 minutes for Monterrey to go on top. Jesus Manuel Corona spotted de Nigris and the Mexican international was able to slot home what would prove to be the match-winner. Finally with their goal, it was expected that Monterrey would begin dominating the match as most expected them to do from the start, but that wasn’t the case.

What is a bit more shocking, and frankly somewhat offensive, is that Smith apparently can’t be bothered to join his team for a match that will likely determine their CCL fortunes. Maybe there’s an explanation for this, and I’d be happy to hear it. But considering this is the same coach who sent only 14 players to a U.S. Open Cup qualifier and last week downplayed the importance of CCL, it hardly seems shocking that he would now skip such an important game.

The Rapids are, at least theoretically, the standard bearer of our league. That they see fit to disrespect the tournament like this is a black eye on the entire league.