Matchday 3 of Group Stage as it happened [Tuesday]

Cue the music, it's time for Matchday Three of the CONCACAF Champions League!

Today's matches:

(Grp A) Saprissa 2-1 Marathón
(Grp B) UNAM 4-4 Houston

An exciting night of Champions League action is in the books.  I need to hit the gym, so I will take off.  Some great games tomorrow...see you then.

2059:  FULL TIME Saprissa 2-1 Marathón

2059:  FULL TIME UNAM 4-4 Houston
What a match, and what a valuable point for the Dynamo!

2057:  Houston will try to maintain possession in the dying moments of stoppage time.  And DeRosario glides into the middle from 25 meters out, shoots a powerful shot, and what a save by Bernal!!!

2056:  Into stoppage time at Saprissa.  Three minutes to be added.  Halfway through it at UNAM.

2055:  Once again, Saprissa could have scored immediately after the restart, but Solís missed when it might have been easier to score.

2054:  Four minutes of stoppage time at UNAM-Houston.

2052:  GOAL Saprissa 2-1 Marathón
Saprissa have come back to take the lead in the final minutes.  Alejandro Alpízar is sent through by Solís, and finishes clinically to put the Purple Monsters in front.  But it's not over yet...

2049:  And some of the lights have gone out at Estadio Universitario.  Ok, they're coming back on now, but there was a short delay.

2044:  Marrufo has ejected Saprissa's physical trainer for protesting the penalty decision.

2043:  Huge penalty appeals by Saprissa.  Sounds like the referee Marrufo has said no.  The Costa Rican commentators (on radio and at the newspaper site) say it was a clear penalty.

2038:  Discuss among yourselves:  Why is it that the Houston Dynamo can score goals in bunches against Mexican sides in Mexico, and other MLS sides cannot?

2035:  GOAL Saprissa 1-1 Marathón
Celso Borges finally succeeds where so many Saprissa players have failed, and the Purple Monsters and Green Monsters are even at one.

2032:  Purple Monsters are rumbling.  Gómez fires a shot barely wide, and Solís barely misses with another. 

2030:  Saprissa with a couple of chances here...Mauricio Solís strikes a fantastic free kick that Marathón 'keeper Juan Oberlar must parry away to concede a corner.  The ensuing corner produces a shot that flies wide.

2025:  I really think there are a couple of goals left in the UNAM-Houston match.  At least two.

2024:  A great run by Cameron on the left, his cross goes tantalizing close to Jaqua but doesn't meet him, and the UNAM defense recovers enough to block two Dynamo rebound shots.

2021:  Saprissa had an opportunity to equalize almost immediately after the penalty, but Balladarez shot high over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

2020:  Kamara puts in a nice through ball for Mullan on the right, but his well-struck shot is well-saved by Bernal.

2017:  GOAL Saprissa 0-1 Marathón
This radio commentator on Radio Monumental is really annoying with the echo, but if you listen past that he's saying that Milton Núñez has scored a penalty.

2016:  The commentators are saying that UNAM's marking has been dreadful.  EVERYONE's marking in this match has been dreadful.

2014:  GOAL UNAM 4-4 Houston
A cross from the right is floated into the box, Pumas decide to go on vacation in Cancún or somewhere, and Craig Waibel runs in on the left to drive the ball home with his head. 

2010:  Houston's starting out strong, Mullan's header flashing past the bar-post junction.

2008:  The teams are back on the field, and the second half of tonight's Champions League matches are underway.

1957:  You know, I should be happy that a MLS team has finally scored in this stage of the competition, but it would be nice if a MLS side knew how to hold a lead in a competition like this. 

1954:  HALFTIME Saprissa 0-0 Marathón

1954:  HALFTIME UNAM 4-3 Houston
An impossible to describe first half.  Pumas come back from two-goal and one-goal deficits to take the lead in the dying seconds of stoppage time.

1952:  GOAL UNAM 4-3 Houston
The comeback is complete.  Darío Verón shakes off his mark and meets the free kick unchallenged at the center of the box to head home. 

1951:  Two additional minutes in Mexico City.  Also two minutes of stoppage time at Saprissa-Marathón.

1949:  It's end to end stuff here.  Houston barely missed a fourth goal, but the free header flies over the bar.  Both defenses need to keep their heads in the game.

1947:  GOAL UNAM 3-3 Houston
Morales and Francisco Palencia split apart the left and center of the Houston backline, and Palencia redirects the centering ball into the net.  All square again!

1946:  The Costa Rican commentators are saying that Chávez is like a rocket on the right side. 

1945:  Marathón haven't made too many forays upfield, but when they do, they are always dangerous.  Marvin Chávez is making his presence felt.

1942:  And Pat Onstad saves the Dynamo by making a huge low save on an onrushing Dante López.  López's speed is a handle for the Dynamo center backs, just as Kamara and Ashe are giving fits to UNAM's.

1940:  GOAL UNAM 2-3 Houston
Kei Kamara takes an impressive penalty kick, beating Bernal to his right.  Fiercely struck!

1940:  Great work between Kamara and Ashe, and Juárez falls over Ashe in the box.  Easy penalty to call.

1939:  PENALTY TO HOUSTON

1934:  A controversial goal and a foul outside the penalty area.  That's how Pumas are back in the game.  Houston have to start all over again.

1933:  GOAL UNAM 2-2 Houston
A rebound off the free kick by Efraín Juárez is wonderfully struck and flies inside the far post.  And just like that, Pumas have drawn level.

1932:  Ooooh, Eddie Robinson is very lucky to stay on the field after committing a foul on Palencia - he was last man and Palencia was in on goal.

1931:  No goals yet in Costa Rica.  Sounds like Saprissa have the advantage but Marathón have been able to launch some attacks at the Saprissa goal.

1928:  Oh no...that was Stuart Holden who was hurt.  He's not going to be able to continue, so Brian Mullan will take his place.  That's a big blow for the Dynamo because Holden's set pieces have been so dangerous.

1926:  There will be a LOT of grumbling on the Houston side about that goal.  Should Pumas have knocked the ball out and aborted their counter, or should they have played on?  What used to fall under sportsmanship now is dictated by law.  This is what fakery has wrought.

1925:  GOAL UNAM 1-2 Houston
Dante López makes a great run on the left side, runs past an injured Houston player lying on the ground, and fires a fine goal past Onstad on the near side.

1922:  GOAL UNAM 0-2 Houston
I must be dreaming.  Another fantastic goal by Houston.  It started on the right side, the cross from Geoff Cameron was beautiful, Corey Ashe settles it down on the left side and taps it to Kei Kamara thunders the ball into the top shelf of the goal.

1919:  Another corner kick for Houston.  Holden takes another terrific corner that meets Bobby Boswell's head, but the shot flies over the bar.  Tell you what, if Pumas give away more corners they could be find themselves some additional goals behind.

1917:  Pumas advance again and the ball falls to Paco Palencia, who looks like he is going to release one of the Pumas strikers (well defended by Houston) before he launches a shot himself.  Just flies wide of Onstad's far post!

1915:  A deep ball from Paco Palencia is mishandled by Onstad, and Pumas gain a corner.  The ensuing corner swings out toward the center of the penalty area, but is cleared away easily.

1912:  That is the first MLS goal in the Champions League group stage, and the first time that Pumas have been behind in the competition.

1910:  GOAL UNAM 0-1 Houston
What a start!!  An inswinging corner by Stuart Holden for Houston, and Craig Waibel rises up unchallenged in the center of the box and heads powerfully into the far corner. 

1906:  And we're underway in tonight's Champions League matches.

1904:  The big news is that Brian Ching and Brad Davis did not make the trip, so that's quite an offensive power drop for the Dynamo to bear.

1903:  The UNAM and Dynamo teams are walking onto the field.  I'd say that Estadio Universitario is a quarter full.

1857:  Almost exactly an hour and 15 minutes later!  The broadcasts are about to start, and I'll take you through tonight's action.

1740:  Well, I'll be back in about an hour and 15 minutes to liveblog the matches.  See you then.

1735:  So who will Pumas play?  Tuca Ferretti has been playing a mixture of inexperienced players and veterans in Champions League matches, which drew a comment from Chuck Blazer that Mexican sides were not taking the new tournament seriously.  I don't think Ferretti is going to change his strategy to satisfy Blazer, and besides, the final result may not be all that different.

1728:  The other match features MLS Western Conference leaders Houston Dynamo against UNAM in Mexico City.  If you read the Dynamo sports coverage on the Houston Chronicle website, you'll see that some of the reserve players might see some action tonight.  The Dynamo have one of the deepest squads in MLS, but it's nowhere near deep enough for international tournaments.  As Bernardo Fallas says, don't expect a Dynamo win tonight.  UNAM are still leading their group in the Mexican Apertura, but they lost over the weekend at Atlante. 

1723:  As you'd expect in a match of this magnitude, security is very tight. 

1713:  Seriously, Marathón are leading Group A and will be looking to close in on the second stage.  They have a tough game in store for them -- Saprissa have only lost three times to Honduran sides in international competition.  Marathón's speed on the flanks, especially on the right side through Marvin Chávez, could be the determining factor in this game.  Saprissa are smarting from their 0-4 defeat against Cruz Azul and will seek to get back into contention in the first of three consecutive home matches.

1704:  Anyway, on to today's matches.  Both are kicking off in the late time slot, so there will be some picture-in-picture action tonight.  For me the match of the night is a fine Central American clásico: Saprissa-Marathón.  Green monsters versus purple monsters!  Sounds like a Godzilla movie!

1702:  That cue the music bit reminded me...what is the official music of the CONCACAF Champions League? Has anyone at CONCACAF headquarters developed any?