CARSON, Calif. -- The four Major League Soccer sides remaining in the CONCACAF Champions League find themselves facing major tests heading into their second leg matches against Liga MX opposition.
Heading into the second leg, the Galaxy find themselves in arguably the best position of the four MLS sides following their scoreless draw with Santos Laguna at StubHub Center on Wednesday. Los Angeles will now travel to Torreón where they will face the Guerreros in the second leg next week.
Below is a roundup of the other three first matches in the CCL quarterfinals:
Querétaro 2 D.C. United 0
D.C. stood toe-to-toe with Gallos Blancos for wide stretches of their quarterfinal first leg in Mexico but were ultimately outdone as Querétaro earned a 2-0 win in the first leg.
United were the most attack-minded side early on in the match with defender Steve Birnbaum forcing a pair of saves early from 'keeper Tiago Volpi. The Brazilian goalkeeper came up big again minutes later when a Fabian Espindola chance from close-range was pushed away.
Gallos Blancos punished United for their wastefulness in front of goal in the 71st minute when Yerson Candelo launched a blast from just outside the penalty area that curled into the top corner for the opening goal. The Mexican side rounded out the scoring in the 83rd minute when a defensive miscue by Sean Franklin allowed Edgar Benitez to score the second.
United will look to erase the two-goal deficit at RFK Stadium on March 1.
Seattle Sounders FC 2 Club América 2
The Sounders and Club America played to a thrilling 2-2 stalemate on Tuesday to set up a dramatic clash next week in Mexico City.
Seattle struck first in the 44th minute when Clint Dempsey's superb free kick bent into the America goal. The response was immediate from the reigning CCL champs, however, as Rubens Sambueza connected with Carlos Quintero for the goal just a minute later.
Dempsey put Seattle ahead with his second of the evening in the 52nd minute when he placed a well-timed header past Las Aguilas 'keeper Hugo Gonzalez. The Mexicans answered in the 70th minute, however, when Sambueza found Oribe Peralta behind the Sounders back line for an easy finish from inside the penalty area.
Seattle must now travel to the famed Estadio Azteca for the return leg on March 2.
TIGRES UANL 2 REAL SALT LAKE 0
Once again, an MLS side was able to put a Liga MX club on their heels early, but as was the case with D.C. United, Real Salt Lake's pressure could not hold as Tigres UANL earned a 2-0 victory over RSL.
Salt Lake were unlucky not to take the lead in the 40th minute when Yura Movsisyan skied a clear attempt at goal. The Mexican side nearly pulled ahead just five minutes later when Andre-Pierre Gignac's penalty was saved by Nick Rimando.
Tigres' skill and conditioning eventually caught up to RSL with Jose Rivas and Jurgen Damm scoring late in the second half to give UANL a 2-0 advantage heading into the second leg.
The scene shifts to Rio Tinto Stadium where RSL will host the Monterrey-based club on March 2.
