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Team-by-team Chicago
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CONCACAF MLS's Columbus, Los Angeles drubbed in Champions Cup quarterfinal first legs.MICHOCAN, Mexico (Wednesday, April 9, 2003) - Ismael Iniguez and Adolfo Bautista tallied twice apiece as Monarcas Morelia scored six times in a 31-minute span en route to drubbing Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew's 6-0 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup tonight at the Estadio Morelos. Columbus will host Morelia next Wednesday at Crew Stadium in the second leg, facing the seemingly impossible task of overcoming a six-goal deficit in the aggregate-goals series. The other MLS team in the quarterfinals, the Los Angeles Galaxy also started poorly, losing 4-1 to visiting Necaxa of Mexico at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif. The Galaxy, the current holder of the Champions Cup, plays Necaxa in the second leg next Wednesday at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Morelia didn't take the lead over Columbus until the 39th minute after Crew defender Chad McCarty's clearing header fell to the feet of Roberto Palacios. He settled the ball before ripping a 20-yard shot past goalkeeper Jon Busch at the far post for a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, McCarty was victimized again when a ball deflected off him directly to the feet of Iniguez who wasted no time in nailing a 22-yard left-footer off the post and in to make it 2-0. Three minutes after intermission, Bautista was the recipient of a through pass behind the Crew defense. Busch came off his line quickly, but missed the ball. Bautista shot from a tough angle and the ball squirted between the retreating keeper's legs and just inside the post for a 3-0 advantage. Bautista found net again in the 55th, followed by Reinaldo Navia in the 68th. Iniguez finished the scoring in the 70th minute. Three second-half goals, the first being Juan Franco's second of the match, sent Necaxa past the Galaxy which is now 0-3-1 against its Mexican rival. In the 51st minute, midfielder Luis Roberto Alves curled a cross into the box from the left flank and Franco made a run to the far post, beating the Galaxy defense and sending a glancing header past goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and into the lower right corner to make it 2-1. Los Angeles had an opportunity to equalize in the 63rd minute, but midfielder Simon Elliott's half volley from 17 yards sailed just over the crossbar. In the 81st minute, Alves made it 3-1 with reserve striker Miguel Larrosa adding the final goal six minutes later. "It was an embarrassing game for us, we did not play well and let them take the game to us," Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid said. "We gave up a couple of bad goals. . . The first half of the game was for the taking. There were really few people you can point to and say they had a good game. I am not going to point fingers at one or two players because it was a team effort in the loss. We had good chances, but the difference was when (Necaxa) had a chance, they didn't miss it. " Necaxa went up 1-0 in the 27th minute on a brilliant strike from Franco. The forward stormed up the right wing and took a pass from midfielder Victor Ruiz. As he looked to pass, Franco instead beat Hartman with a shot that glanced off the near post as it went in. Los Angeles leveled the score at 1-1 in the 35th minute when striker Alex Pineda Chacon scored his first goal with the Galaxy on an exceptionally hit free kick. Defender Alexi Lalas was fouled just above the top of the box by Franco, setting up a direct kick from 19 yards out. Making his first start for the Galaxy, Pineda Chacon curled a right-footed shot around the wall and inside the upper right corner. |
