Santa Tecla 2, Seattle Sounders 1 | CCL Round of 16 Recap

Alicia Rodriguez

The Seattle Sounders kicked off their 2018 competitive slate with a 2-1 loss in their CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 first-leg match on Thursday against Santa Tecla FC in Santa Tecla, El Salvador.

Nicolas Lodeiro started the campaign in spectacular fashion, hitting a long-range one-time chip from roughly 40 yards out off a turnover just 15 minutes in for the Sounders.

But Santa Tecla found their breakthrough in the 67th minute, as former MLS player Gerson Mayen scored a scrappy goal off a deflection to bring his team level. Things got worse for the Sounders in the 76th minute, as Mayen scored a penalty to give Santa Tecla the lead.

Goals

15' - SEA - Nicolas Lodeiro
67' - TEC - Gerson Mayen
76' - TEC - Gerson Mayen

Three Things

The Big Picture: Losing is never ideal, and the Sounders will likely be concerned with how their fantastic start fell apart as Santa Tecla clawed their way back into the game. But being a goal down with a return leg in the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field is not an insurmountable hurdle, and Seattle can very much flip the series around with a win -- either 1-0 or by at least two goals if Santa Tecla scores in the second leg.

Moment of the Match
: The game-turning penalty was the big moment of the night, as a bang-bang play in the corner of the box saw
Chad Marshall
challenge Santa Tecla defender Ricardinho before Sounders newcomer
Jordan McCrary
possibly clipped the striker's leg on the way down.
February 23, 2018

Man of the Match: Los Angeles native Mayen showed why he's a regular for the El Salvador national team, as he served as captain and No. 10 for his side, pulling the strings for his team throughout the game. His efforts were rewarded with the crucial second-half brace.