Tigres UANL produced a pair of goals in the final half hour to secure a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal tie on Wednesday night.
RSL opened brightly and maintained parity when Nick Rimando saved André-Pierre Gignac’s penalty just before halftime, but Tigres eventually pulled clear through their superiority on set pieces. José Arturo Rivas opened the scoring with his header after 66 minutes and then prompted Jurgen Damm for the second after 87 minutes.
Tigres’ late surge evoked memories of Querétaro’s 2-0 victory over D.C. United and placed RSL in a similarly difficult spot ahead of the return match in Sandy, Utah next Tuesday. RSL performed creditably on the night, but the visitors were eventually undone by their imprecision in front of goal and their set piece malfeasance.
Nick Rimando saves André-Pierre Gignac's penalty on the stroke of halftime. Scoreless between RSL and Tigres. #SCCL https://t.co/dwgUuvTj0P
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 25, 2016
RSL persevered through an early misstep in defense to submit an encouraging first-half performance. Gignac’s wastefulness in front of goal -- including his skewed effort inside the first five minutes after Damm won possession inside the RSL penalty area -- played a key part in matters. Tigres enjoyed plenty of the ball without truly figuring out a way to punish RSL for it.
The visitors presented a threat on the break with the front three of Movsisyan, Joao Plata and Burrito Martinez causing problems. Movsisyan squandered a handful of presentable chances, including a shot wide of the near post after good work from Plata. Those promising signs provided ample encouragement, but a suspect penalty decision nearly soured a dogged first-half performance.
Rimando once again provided the defiant last barrier from 12 yards. There were plenty of questions about the decision to award a penalty after Rafael Sobis’ header hit Kyle Beckerman’s outstretched arm, but there were few doubts about the veteran goalkeeper’s response. Rimando dived low to his left to collect Gignac’s tame penalty and send the two sides into halftime level.
Gignac and Movsisyan continued their profligate nights in the early stages of the second half, but RSL noticeably tired after the hour and suffered the consequences from a set piece after 66 minutes.
José Arturo Rivas nods home the opening goal for Tigres. Work to do for RSL now in final 20 minutes. #MLS #CCL https://t.co/hvAKSXkKDt
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 25, 2016
Sobis provided the initial danger with a swerving delivery from left to right. The curve of the delivery allowed Rivas to time his run well and beat Jamison Olave to the ball in the air. Rivas nodded down past the outstretched Rimando and watched the ball trickle into the net to finally open the scoring.
Tigres prodded and pushed for the final 20 minutes in a bid to procure the second goal. It finally arrived four minutes from the end to give RSL a mountain to climb ahead of the return leg.
Once again, RSL struggled to maintain its discipline on set pieces. Rivas eventually drifted free from his marker at the back post after Gignac missed a header and squared back into the goal area. Damm somehow located space to turn toward goal. Beckerman turned away the initial attempt, but Damm poked home at the second attempt to double Tigres’ advantage.
Jurgen Damm scores from close range to double Tigres UANL's lead over Real Salt Lake. #MLS #CCL https://t.co/5DIAEKtXEs
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 25, 2016
The second goal soured a largely professional performance from RSL and underscored the task ahead at Rio Tinto Stadium next week. Tigres travel to Utah in firm control of this tie and with the knowledge that one away-goal might prove enough to secure a place in the semifinals.
