Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Good thing for the Seattle Sounders that they started off CONCACAF Champions League group play with a bang, because they ended it with a whimper.
The Sounders dropped their Group D finale to Monterrey Tuesday night at CenturyLink Field, 2-1, and in so doing allowed defending CCL champions from Mexico to leapfrog them in the final standings and win the group. Monterrey finished with 12 points over six games while Seattle, which had already clinched a spot in the knockout stage that starts early next year, ended up with 10.
Dario Carreño opened the scoring in the third minute for Monterrey, and after Fredy Montero tied it for the Sounders before halftime, Cesar Delgado's 60th-minute rebound goal proved to be the winner.
The Sounders used a number of non-regulars in their starting 11, including David Estrada in the midfield and Sammy Ochoa, who scored the tying goal in the home regular-season finale days earlier, at forward with Montero.
Ochoa had an opportunity in the 10th minute but his header was stopped by starting goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco. Orozco left the match in 73rd minute after sustaining a left shoulder injury in a mid-air collision.
Osvaldo Alonso and Montero tried long shots in the first half that went wide and high.
Delgado's goal was the result of a giveaway by the Sounders in their end. Suazo tried a shot that defender Zach Scott blocked, but the rebound came to Delgado who beat Meredith.
Montero had a nice touch-and-turn shot in the 64th minute that was wide. The Sounders tried to infuse some energy by subbing in offensive-minded players Lamar Neagle and Mike Fucito, but the tying goal was not to be had. Monterrey, which needed only a draw to advance to the quarterfinals, got some revenge for its historic loss to Seattle in Mexico in August.
