CONCACAF Champions League 2012-13: Sounders, Olimpia Earn Expected Wins

UANL Tigres may have been in their very first CONCACAF Champions League match, but experience wasn’t really a factor against Real Esteli. They destroyed their Nicaraguan opponents, 4-0, with two goals on each side of halftime to get off to a flying start in the competition they are considered one of the favorites in.

After strong play early on that Tigres couldn’t turn into a goal, Edno Cunha finally got the home side a lead in the 35th minute when he knocked in an Alan Pulido header. Pulido’s header was actually a shot off of a good cross from Alberto Acosta and it was going to go over the line by itself, but Cunha got there and stole the goal by hitting it over himself.

While it may have taken a miscue to get it, the goal was completely deserved for Herediano. They dominated the early part of the match, earned corners and created chances so when they scored, it felt fair.

All in all, it was a disastrous return to the competition for RSL as they lost, had Borchers sent off and suspended for their next match and saw Olave get hurt. Meanwhile, Herediano have all three points and are now the favorites to come out of Group 2.

Monterrey were supposed to begin their 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League campaign with their second team because that is really all it would have taken to beat Chorrillo at home. Instead, they sent out their best team to take on their Panamanian opponents and the two-time defending champions didn’t just win, they crushed Chorrillo, 5-0, to start off their tournament perfectly.

Jose Maria Basanta and Angel Reyna did most of the work for Monterrey, scoring twice each at Estadio Tecnologico. The scoring started in the eighth minute when Basanta found himself unmarked on a corner kick, giving himself an easy minute. Just before the halftime whistle, Reyna got on the scoresheet and the home side were 2-0 up at the break.