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FINAL SCORE, Sounders 1, Chivas 0: Seattle Sounders pulled off a second half winner to beat Chivas in their CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday night.
It was a game riddled with fouls and bad refereeing decisions, but the better team won as the Sounders pulled of an important advantage heading into Guadalajara.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 78th minute when a cross by Henry Wingo was played in behind the Chivas defense and Dempsey slotted home.
The two teams will meet again in exactly a week, with Matias Almeyda’s side looking to turn the tie around with their season essentially on the line.
Sounders 1, Chivas 0: Sounders had given a few warnings and finally took the lead in the 78th minute through Clint Dempsey. An exceptional diagonal cross by Henry Wingo was fired in by USMNT veteran.
GOOOOOOL!!!! @clint_dempsey abre el marcador y el Rebaño ya cae por la mínima @SoundersFC 1-0 @Chivas.
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) March 8, 2018
Sigue el partido en vivo https://t.co/Kw7V5pA4XP pic.twitter.com/udH3FGk3f5
Halftime Update: Chivas have played to the encounter’s importance, but the score remains scoreless at the half. Chivas had a good opportunity to take the lead late in the first half when an error by Roman Torres led to Alan Pulido having a 1 v. 1 situation with Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but the Swiss goalkeeper made a phenomenal save to keep the game even at 0-0.
How to Watch
Date: Wednesday March 7
Time: 7:00pm Pacific, 9:00pm Central, 10:00pm Eastern
Venue: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, United States
TV: Univision Deportes Network(US-Spanish), Fox Sports Cono Norte (Mexico)
Streaming: fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription), go90
Lineups
Here’s your @Delta Starting XI for today’s match vs @Chivas! Watch live on https://t.co/o5t0wNg57f or on Univision at 7 p.m. PT.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) March 8, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/yQIKPGdrZa pic.twitter.com/yAgwmDQadf
Con este XI daremos el primer paso en los 4tos de Final de @TheChampions ¡DALE REBAÑOOO! #SCCL2018 pic.twitter.com/L1ii4tOmR0
— CHIVAS (@Chivas) March 8, 2018
For Chivas, what remains of the CONCACAF Champions assumes colossal proportions. Their first real test of the tournament will come in the form of the Seattle Sounders when el Rebaño travel north in their First Leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals.
Liga MX may already be a lost cause for Chivas, but it is everything to play for in the CONCACAF Champions League. The Rojiblancos arrive on the back of a 1-1 draw with rivals Club America and are undefeated in their last six matches in all competitions. Although four of those were draws, Chivas have thoroughly outplayed their opponents in almost every match, and that’s reason enough to think they have what it takes to progress from this tie.
However, given Sounders’ conservative style of play, Chivas can expect no easy task. That said, last year’s MLS finalist had a league debut to forget on Sunday, losing to newcomers LAFC 1-0 thanks to a superb Carlos Vela assist. In the process, the Sounders lost their first home game in 19 matches across all competitions.
It goes without saying, Liga MX-MLS matchups have an added flavor to them. This promises to be no different when both teams take the field under the lights of the Emerald City.