Real Salt Lake's Loss Is Monterrey's Victory in CONCACAF Champion's League

Marc RosebladeApr 29, 2011

MLS side Real Salt Lake were so close to winning the CONCACAF Champions League, they could probably taste it but the only goal of a pulsating second leg came from their Mexican opponents, Monterrey.

by Marc Roseblade

On Wednesday night at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, RSL had the opportunity to become only the third MSL side to win the continental trophy and after a tremendous effort during the first leg of the final in Mexico, had walked away with a brilliant 2-2 draw.

The result must have lightened the thoughts of even the most hardened of supporter, that maybe, just maybe the team from Salt Lake could achieve the monumental task that stood before them.

The match went as planned with the bulk of play being in the home sides possession and with countless amounts of shots on goal, it looked like the tide of optimism would turn into silverware.

However Humberto Suazo scored six seconds into first-half injury time for the Mexican side with a goal inside the six yard area that was not to be equalized during the preceding 45 minutes of game time.

The win allowed Mexico a 27th CONCACAF Champions League trophy and it came on the back of seven games without a win for Monterrey and also against a 34-match unbeaten home run for the American side.

RSL, who were playing without suspended captain Kyle Beckerman, didn't let this stop them from bombarding the Monterrey goal area, who were forced into playing counter attacking football for most of the first half, playing with nine players in the last 25 yards of the park for most of that time.

Espindola was first to test Monterrey keeper Orozco in the sixth minute and continued with the onslaught throughout the first half.

RSL goalie Nick Rimando had to intercept a rare Monterrey foray into the home sides penalty area beating a sprinting Jose Maria Basanta to the ball but as far as pressure went, that was it for the away side in the first half until they scored right before half time when a Suazo clever one two ended with him firing into the net with his left peg from close range.

Salt Lake continued to pound their opponents goal area in search of the equalizing goal and Alvaro Saborio went close with a header that whizzed into keeper Orozco's hands with 23 minutes remaining on the clock.

Monterrey were under real pressure for the final remaining 20 minutes, with clearance after clearance having to be made and if not for a 94th minute diving goal line clearance from Orozco, the match would have went to RSL.