It's time for the Champions League to return. I just got home, so we join tonight's matches in progress.
DC United 1-1 L.A. Firpo F
Pachuca 0-0 Jalapa 18'
Commentary after the jump.
1928: First shot of the night by Jalapa - a long range effort - is blocked down by Cota. But did he know just how close he was to the goal line?
1924: A big scare by Pachuca...corner finds the head of Javier Muñoz and his shot cannons off the crossbar.
1919: I see that Pachuca now have Damián Manso in the midfield. He won a Copa Libertadores with LDU Quito two seasons ago.
1917: Pachuca-Jalapa kicked off five minutes ago. Estadio Hidalgo isn't full, but there appears to be a bigger crowd than at RFK.
1910: Pachuca-Jalapa is about to start, as soon as they come out of commercial.
Firpo were the better team tonight, deserved the point, and really deserved much more. DCU are still without a win in the Champions League, and must conjure up one (or at least a multi-goal draw) to continue in CONCACAF competition. For me the best player was Leguizamón.
1901: FULL TIME DC United 1-1 LA Firpo
1900: DCU can't get distribution out of their defensive line. Very poor clearances.
1859: Alas free kick blocked away.
1857: Again Firpo counter with Leguizamón...foul by DCU just outside the box! Into stoppage time.
1857: More possession by DCU...Wallace cuts it back to Gómez. The shot...blocked away by the Firpo 'keeper!
1853: Firpo counter on the other end, and Leguizamón's cross is met with a flashing header that flies wide of Kocic's near post.
1852: Good possession by DCU in and around the Firpo area, with most of the action by Emilio. He passes it outside the area to Jacobson, whose shot just passes the outside of the near post.
1849: Szetela has been the best of the DCU midfielders, but the center has not been good enough tonight. He's been able to use his speed to get himself open, but his crosses haven't been high enough to find players in the box.
1848: Maybe not. DCU are too willing to give the ball away, and Firpo's not one to turn down gifts. Leguizamón has an effort on goal that Kocic has to save.
1845: Benítez has been carried off the field on a stretcher. Barrera enters the match now. Looks like Firpo will rely on counterattack from this point on.
1845: Firpo's dropping back behind the ball, and making DCU's efforts to create a second goal even more difficult.
1841: How was that not a card on Alas against Pontius?
1838: Other end of the field...nice turn by Pontius in the six-yard box and the free shot by Wallace is blocked by a Firpo defender!
1835: Free kick to Firpo, and Alas goes for goal from almost 30 yards out. Kocic has to block away. Alas, Alas has injured himself.
1832: Jaime Moreno exits, and Pontius enters for DCU.
1825: Lost possession by DCU (Jacobson I think) and Firpo go forward. Leguizamón cuts in a cross at the bye line, and if Benítez had continued his run, he would have almost certainly scored his second.
1822: Emilio darts in behind the Firpo backline and attempts a chip on the goalkeeper Gómez, but is whistled for offside. It was a good effort, though.
1820: Benítez is found alone on the left and takes a blistering shot that dips just in front of Kocic, and it caroms off his arm and shoulder. Very nearly a second goal for Firpo!
1814: Nice to see that Danny Szetela is playing Champions League soccer, though this Champions League probably isn't what he had in mind.
1813: Christián Gómez is now in the DCU lineup.
1812: The second half kicks off in DC.
1809: Before a crowd of hundreds at RFK Stadium, DCU and Firpo have kicked off the Champions League. One-all is all good for Firpo. Just saw the highlights -- a horrendous giveaway in the DCU backline gifted Firpo's striker Mario Benítez a goal. Near the end of the second half, Jaime Moreno equalized on a penalty. The Salvadoran sports daily is saying that the penalty was "invented", but I didn't see it, so I don't know.
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