Dynamo Host Santos Laguna in First Leg of Champions League Quarterfinals Tonight
March 5, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Houston Dynamo FC News Release
HOUSTON, TX (Tuesday, March 5, 2013) - The Houston Dynamo host Santos Laguna tonight at BBVA Compass Stadium in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT and tickets are still available at www.HoustonDynamo.com or at the stadium box office (2200 Texas St., Houston).
The Champions League is an annual 24-team tournament featuring the best club teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean. This is the fifth appearance for the Dynamo in the regional championship and first quarterfinal appearance since 2009.
The Dynamo advanced to the quarterfinals by winning Group 3 last fall while Santos Laguna reached this stage by winning Group 1. Tonight marks the very first meeting between the clubs.
The second leg of the two-game, aggregate score series is on Wednesday, March 13 at Estadio Corona in Torreon, Mexico. The club with more total goals from the two games will advance to the semifinals, which begin April 2-4. The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League will qualify for the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in December in Morocco.
Tonight's match will be broadcast on Fox Soccer and can be heard on Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 AM and La Ranchera 850 AM (Spanish).
Santos Laguna fell to Monterrey, 3-2, in the Champions League final last May. Los Guerreros are currently in sixth place in the Mexican League (4-2-3, 15 points), six points behind first-place Tigres. Santos is unbeaten in its last three games in Liga MX, including a 3-1 win over Jaguares de Chiapas on Friday.
Santos is led by Mexican international Oribe Peralta, who has scored five goals in seven games this season. United States international Hercules Gomez has three goals in nine games, including two goals in Friday's 3-1 win over Jaguares. Colombian forward Carlos Quintero has two goals and an assist in his last three games. Goalkeeper and captain Oswaldo Sanchez has made 99 appearances for the Mexican national team.
Santos debuted in the Mexican first division in the 1988-89 season and has won Liga MX four times (1996, 2001, 2008, 2012). The club selected its first European head coach last November when it hired Portuguese manager Pedro Caixinha.
The Dynamo carry a 31-game home unbeaten streak in all competitions into tonight's game. The Dynamo have not lost a home game in more than 20 months, with their last home defeat a 2-0 loss to Columbus on June 18, 2011.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from March 5, 2013
- Davis' Late Goal Lifts Dynamo over Santos Laguna 1-0 in Champions League - Houston Dynamo FC
- Chivas USA Weekly Update - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
- CSN's "State of the Revs" Returns - New England Revolution
- Revs Eye Return to Postseason in 2013 - New England Revolution
- Chandler Hoffman Ready for a Fresh Start with the Galaxy - LA Galaxy
- Philadelphia Union Announce Reading United Friendly - Philadelphia Union
- Real Salt Lake Weekly Update - Real Salt Lake
- D.C. United Signs 2013 MLS SuperDraft Pick Taylor Kemp - D.C. United
- Quebec Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau Makes the Jump - Club de Foot Montreal
- Whitecaps FC Launch Saskatchewan Academy Centre - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Quarterfinals Commence in CONCACAF Champions League - This Week in MLS - MLS
- Dynamo Host Santos Laguna in First Leg of Champions League Quarterfinals Tonight - Houston Dynamo FC
- Sal Zizzo Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery - Portland Timbers
- Sounders FC News & Notes - Seattle Sounders FC
- Veteran Journalist Richard Fleming to Join Rapids as Director of Broadcasting - Colorado Rapids
- Rapids and Altitude Announce New Broadcast Talent for 2013 - Colorado Rapids
- Chicago Fire Names WPWR My50 Chicago as Official Television Partner - Chicago Fire FC
- D.C. United Academy Update - D.C. United
- Philadelphia Union Sign Matt Kassel - Philadelphia Union
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Houston Dynamo FC Stories
- Aliyu Ibrahim Named to MLSSoccer.com's Team of the Matchday Roster
- Houston Dynamo FC Earn 1-0 Victory Over Undefeated Portland Timbers
- Houston Dynamo FC Host Portland and Dynamo 2 Open Season on Sunday
- Houston Dynamo FC Acquire Midfielder Latif Blessing from Toronto FC
- Houston Dynamo FC to Begin Leagues Cup Play on July 27 at Shell Energy Stadium