CONCACAF Champions League, Quarterfinals: Metapan Down Pumas, 2-1

Two goals from Lester Blanco was the difference in Metapan, El Salvador Thursday evening, as Isidro Metapan defeated Pumas UNAM 2-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinal tie. Having the edge heading into the second leg next week in Mexico City will give Metapan confidence but the tie is far from decided.

The game play was rather even over the night, although Metapan was able to link up better in the offensive third and get clear chances on goal. But Blanco really made the difference, as the young striker put Metapan on the board in the 27th minute. He got a ball in the box, then dribbled away from three Pumas defenders, turned and shot it to the far post. It was a great piece of skill and the hosts had the lead.

He knows this too: there is nothing impossible about what the Sounders need to do.

“I think the guys are confident right now,” Evans said on Wednesday. “Obviously we wanted to have the shutout and not let that one goal go in, but to respond and get the second goal gives us even more confidence going down there. We know that they have to beat us and I can tell you that nobody is scared to go down there.”

Much has been made over the past few years about how MLS fans don’t really “get” CONCACAF Champions League. The thinking is that it’s so unlike anything else in the world of North American sports that fans just instinctively tune it out.

Wednesday’s matches are proof that the attitude is changing, at least in certain locales. It wasn’t just that more than 70,000 people showed up to watch CCL quarterfinals held at MLS home stadiums. It was the atmosphere that those people generated.

As a result of the victory, Seattle will be in control, although by no means through to the semifinals, with tonight’s win. They will advance if they win again in Torreon, or if they manage a draw. For a team with one of the toughest draws heading into the quarterfinals, they are in control of their destiny. For Santos to advance, they will need to win at home in the second leg. If Santos win 2-1 next week, the match will go into extra time as the teams will be level on both aggregate goals and away goals. Needless to say, both teams have a strong shot to win and considering the quality of play tonight, it should be an interesting rematch in a week’s time.

Although Seattle should be happy with their lead, they need to keep attacking in the second half to give themselves the best chance of getting a victory on the night. If Santos hold onto possession for long stretches and get many chances on goal, one of those chances (and perhaps more) is bound to go in.

Finally, there haven’t been any red cards yet, and only three yellow cards (two for Santos, one for Seattle). If any crazy penalties get called or somebody gets a red, all bets are off as to how this match will end.

Throughout the match, Beckham was pelted with streamers whenever he went to take a corner kick. In the 88th minute, he also had a beer can thrown at him and was clearly upset, but he would get the last laugh just a few seconds later. When Beckham finally did take the corner kick, it came down in the six-yard box where it was scrambled about before making its way to Donovan, who poked it into the net for the all-important equalizer. The Galaxy celebrated and several were sure to turn back the corner where the beer can had come from and add a few taunts for the .

The final whistle went and Toronto left dejected, knowing that, in all likelihood, they would need to win in Los Angeles next week to advance. Meanwhile, LA were still on a high from their late equalizer and more than happy with their draw, knowing that not only had they gotten a result, but two vital away goals to boot.

Seattle Sounders and Santos Laguna are set to kick off shortly, and it looks like both teams are taking the match very seriously, rolling out strong lineups. Here are the starting lineups:

Seattle: Michael Gspurning, Adam Johansson, Jeff Parke, John Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez; Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Alvaro Fernandez, Mauro Rosales; Fredy Montero, David Estrada

As exciting a start as it might have been for the Reds, they now lead by just one and LA has the all-important away goal, but with the way this match has gone, it is a long ways from being over. The second half should have plemty more chances for both sides to tip this tie.

For more on Toronto FC and their Champions League run, check out Waking The Red.

For more on Toronto FC and their Champions League run, check out Waking The Red.

With 74 minutes to go, this one is far from over. The Galaxy have had the bulk of possession and have been dangerous so their coming back wouldn’t be a surprise. Also, with this being a two-legged tie with the away goals rule in effect, LA would be happy to get a goal, lose 2-1 and take their away goal into the second leg, but doing so could be tough. Toronto has gotten chances by breaking quickly and exploiting a shaky LA defense. There’s no reason to think they can’t do it again.

For more on Toronto FC and their Champions League run, check out Waking The Red.

For more on Toronto FC and their Champions League run, check out Waking The Red.

Mexican clubs have dominated all CONCACAF competition and at the moment, but Pumas UNAM are not quite the best that Mexico has to offer. Los Caleros didn’t even qualify for the Liguilla in the Apertura and now find themselves all the way down at 14th in the Clausura with just one win in eight matches.

Struggling or not, just being a Mexican club has its perks. One of those is that you get respect no matter what and that is why Pumas enter their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal tie with Isidro Metapan as the favorites. Being favorites only gets you so far, though, and Metapan will surely be looking to give Pumas a couple licks in Thursday’s first leg.

The knockout stages of the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League is about ready to kick off in Morelia and it should be a dandy. Monterrey are visiting Monarcas Morelia in the first leg of this quarterfinal tie and both teams are bringing pretty much their best teams. If anyone questioned whether the Mexican clubs were making the Champions League a priority, here is your answer.

Of course, there is more to a great match than good players. They are a key component, but we’ll have to see how much Monterrey really goes for it. They have Aldo De Nigris and Humberto Suazo up top, but they had them in some group stage matches, only to isolate them with some very defensive play. They could do so again in hopes of getting a draw and then winning the tie at home in the second leg.

Something changed between the draw and the start of the quarterfinals this week, though. Santos stopped playing like one of the region’s powerhouses. They have won just once in the last month and have been forced to bench Felipe Baloy, who was supposed to be their anchor at the back, but was playing terribly. They’re not a disaster by any means, but they may not be the tournament favorites anymore.

“It’s the most prestigious cup any MLS team competes for,” Schmid said to the Seattle Times. “MLS Cup is certainly an important championship -- you always want to win your country’s championship -- as is Supporters Shield, as is the U.S. Open Cup. But if you can win the championship of your confederation, if you can be the champions of that group, if you can lay claim to the title that says, ‘Hey, we’re the best team from Canada all the way through Panama,’ you know that’s something that’s pretty special and pretty unique.”

Toronto will also have the advantage of a huge crowd behind them. While it is freezing outside, Toronto and LA will take to the field inside Rogers Center, where a sellout crowd of about 45,000 is expected to be in attendance.

LA are undoubtedly the favorites and are eying more than just a berth in the semifinals, but they would be unwise to overlook Toronto in this quarterfinal match-up. Their failing to win any of their last four matches against the Reds -- all draws -- should tell them that. The Canadians are geared up for what should be their best season ever and they would undoubtedly like to put 45,000 fans and all of MLS on notice this Wednesday.

The Championship phase of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League will kick off Tuesday with Mexican Primera side Monarcas Morelia hosting fellow Mexican Primera side Monterrey (10:00 pm ET, Galavision). As the defending champions of the CCL, Monterrey will garner most of the attention heading into the match, but this should be an exciting and even tie. Both teams are near the top of the standings in the Mexican Primera, with Morelia currently sitting atop the standings, after beating Queretaro over the weekend 3-0, and Monterrey in 6th, but only five points off first place.

After winning the CCL last year, Monterrey went into something of a dip in form, but never an all-out crisis. Unlike most Mexican clubs, they stood by manager Victor Manuel Vucetich, with whom they have also won two domestic titles. Although star striker and Chilean international Humberto Suazo sought a transfer this past January, another event that unsettled the club, no transfer came through and he has recently been reintegrated back into the squad. Alongside Mexican international Aldo de Nigris, the pair make a fearsome tandem up top. Additionally, younger players like Cherokee Perez and Jesus Zavala, both recently capped by Mexico, have stepped up and become vital members of the Rayados squad.

The Major League Soccer season returns over the weekend, but three MLS clubs are in action before their regular season openers, as they continue their quest to win a continental championship. Unlike previous seasons, when the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals were contested in February and completed before the MLS season started, there will be quarterfinal games on either side of an MLS game. Meanwhile, the five non-MLS teams remaining are all in mid-season.

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