Enner Valencia and Julian Quinones each scored inside the final 15 minutes, and the Houston Dynamo never managed nearly enough of an offensive threat at home as they fell 2-0 to Tigres UANL in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The pair also assisted on each others' goals for Tigres, which on the other end of the field held the Dynamo without an attempt on goal.
Tigres' late show spoiled a resolute defensive effort for 75 minutes from a Dynamo defense that was bolstered in the offseason, led Tuesday by the center back pairing of Maynor Figueroa and Alejandro Fuenmayor, with Boniek Garcia doing the defensive midfield work in front.
But it wasn't enough to prevent Houston from needing a near-miraculous result in the return leg next week. The Dynamo will either need to win 2-0 at the Estadio Universitario to force penalties or by three goals or more to reach the semifinals. Any other result would see Tigres advance.
Goals
Three Things
MOMENT OF THE MATCH:
Both goals involved some near-perfect precision passing from the visitors, but the second also included a woodwork-rattling finish.
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Valencia has often been linked with a move to MLS, and Tuesday he eventually showed the playmaking ability that would make most MLS sides happy to add him to their roster. He leads all Champions League scorers with four goals this competition, and his gorgeous assist to Quinones was even more impressive.
