Real Esteli 0 Sporting Kansas City 2
Sporting got their CONCACAF Champions League Group 2 campaign off to a winning start as they broke an international losing run which dated back to a win against Mexican side Santos Laguna in the quarterfinals of the 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup with this success in Nicaragua.
Ike Opara gave them the lead after 32 minutes. Benny Feilhaber’s lofted free kick found Opara at the top left corner of the 6-yard box, and he out jumped center back Douglas De Souza to deliver a floating header over goalkeeper Justo Lorente and inside the far post. Opara almost returned the favor 1 minute before the interval, sending a long pass into the box for Feilhaber, but the midfielder was ruled to have being in an offside position. In the opening minute after the break Aurelien Collin’s header into the net from a free-kick was also ruled out for offside.
The pressure that KC were now exerting finally paid off 15 minutes from time when Dom Dwyer who had netted his first MLS goal in the loss to New York on Saturday secured the win. He collected Collin’s long ball over the top, drove into the area, and fired a left-footed shot just inside of Lorente’s right post. The loss for Real means they have now played seventeen CCL games and have yet to register a win.
Montreal Impact 1 San Jose Earthquakes 0
The Canadian side continued their streak of never having lost a home CCL tie with a narrow Group 5 success over fellow MLS side San Jose. The visitors had the perfect opportunity to take the lead themselves after only 7 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Ramiro Corrales free kick had caught Collen Warner on his right arm.
The home side keeper Evan Bush though kept it scoreless as he saved Alan Gordon’s effort who had taken the kick as neither Chris Wondolowski nor Victor Bernardez were on the pitch at the time. That proved decisive as 9 minutes later the Impact went in front themselves when Hassoun Camara headed home the only goal of the game. The Earthquakes were always struggling to break down a compact Montreal defense and now find themselves on the back foot going into their next encounter.