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Monterrey, Mexico • Conceding a road goal to the reigning Liga MX champions in your first competitive match in four months?
Conceivable, manageable, understandable.
It wasn't until Jürgen Damm's second chance from point-blank range hit the back of the net that Real Salt Lake's uphill climb was suddenly put into real perspective.
RSL returns to Rio Tinto Stadium next Wednesday in the second of the two-leg series against Tigres UANL in a sizable hole after falling 2-0 at the Estadio Universitario in round one of this CONCACAF Champions League knockout stage.
Damm's 86th minute goal immediately changed the landscape of the series after RSL, who entered this meeting with Tigres an underdog, held its own against one of the premier clubs in the tournament.
The Tigres winger placed RSL's Champions League hopes a little closer to the edge when his second-chance opportunity was buried. His first was cleared off the line by RSL captain Kyle Beckerman after a cross from José Rivas found the speedy midfielder in prime position.
While Beckerman managed to quell the first attempt, Damm ensured the second twisted the knife.
And it did. RSL must now win 2-0 in regulation in Leg 2 just to have a shot at extra time on March 2 at Rio Tinto in Sandy.
"A little disappointing because we had some chances to really take the lead," Beckerman said on the postgame TV broadcast. "It's only halftime, so hopefully we can go back home and do better."
RSL could've lived with keeping the Tigres high-profile attacking players at bay as it did for most of Wednesday.
French star and Liga MX leading scorer André-Pierre Gignac had a handful of chances to put Tigres up early, but wasn't delivering as he typically does. Gignac had a penalty kick attempt saved in the 45th minute following a hand ball called on Beckerman inside the RSL box.
The Tigres star hit a slow-roller to his right, allowing RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando to read it and snag it to preserve a 0-0 halftime scoreline. A minute into the second half, Gignac put a header off a corner kick from Rafael Sóbis a foot wide of the post.
It wasn't until the 67th minute when Rivas, a center back, broke the dam. The Tigres defender drifted free on a set piece, eventually burying a header at the back post by Rimando to put the home side up — and RSL in a deficit.
The scoreline could've easily been flip-flopped entering halftime. Yura Movsisyan, in his first match back with RSL, was on the receiving end of a perfect pass by forward Joao Plata in the 40th minute. Movsisyan's first touch — and shot — was shanked high and wide. Two minutes into the second half, Movsisyan had a left-footed attempt from inside the box pushed wide by Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán.
As the second half wore on, RSL chased and in doing so, looked progressively more tired. Tigres held a whopping 63 percent of possession. As compact as RSL stayed, Tigres broke through on the header by Rivas, snapping Rimando's Champions League shutout streak at 593 minutes dating back to July 2012.
The loss by RSL dropped MLS clubs to an astounding 2-34-8 all time in continental competitions in Mexico. RSL can take solace in playing sound and threatening at times, despite Tigres owning most of the possession.
The Damm goal, though, is the real stringer.
"This team is really good," Beckerman said. "We know it's going to be very hard. We believe we have a chance, so we're going to go play the game back home and see what happens."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series
Leg 1, Estadio Universitario, Monterrey, Mexico
Tigres UANL 2, RSL 0
» Tigres defender José Rivas put the home side up 1-0 with a header in the 67th minute
» Tigres's Jürgen Damm goal in the 86th minute sealed the win for the home side
» RSL returns to Rio Tinto Stadium on March 2 for the second leg of the series