Real Influential

Remember when MLS teams couldn't buy a win in Mexico?

Way back in like 2010 and before, MLS teams did pretty bad south of the border. It was a little sad to see MLS teams go there, knowing that no matter what they did, it would not be good enough for a win. Heck, a draw would have been seen as an accomplishment.

But those days are gone. Not gone in the sense that MLS teams won't lose in Mexico or anything, but the time when Mexico meant an automatic loss for an MLS side certainly has disappeared.

FC Dallas shattered that record and Seattle brushed off the remains. Each took a 1-0 win from their respective games against Mexico, by identical 1-0 wins over Pumas and Monterrey, respectively.

Why the big change? What happened from the time when Seattle blew a 2-0 lead at Monterrey by allowing three goals in a four-minute span way back in 2010 to now when MLS teams can suddenly do no wrong in Mexico?

Real Salt Lake.

That's what happened.

RSL's run to the CONCACAF Champions League title came up excruciatingly short but the club's experience rubbed off on a lot of people. Galaxy players I spoke to about the Champions League said RSL's run made them look at the tournament in a different light, that they didn't really see the tournament before the way they see it now.

It makes sense. RSL's run was captivating and the way it ended, with RSL needing a result at home to secure a championship, made many feel as if it was going to happen. Why not? They'd gone down to Saprissa and done quite well, then pulled out a 2-2 draw at Monterrey, so a win at home was not exactly asking for too much.

It did not happen, though, but coming so close to glory probably made MLS players want to experience that for themselves. You don't know what you have until it's gone, right? So when MLS players, who probably jumped on RSL's bandwagon like so many other MLS supporters, felt the title slip away, they may have said the next time they are in position to fight for it themselves, they will do just that.

It's a mentality change that helped fuel MLS teams in Champions League. Aside from FC Dallas' historic win in Mexico, MLS clubs have done quite well for themselves thus far. No MLS team has lost and only Colorado's 1-1 draw at Honduras' Real Espana prevented the league from going a perfect 7-of-7 in CCL play.

Tonight FC Dallas and Toronto FC will meet so we may see the first MLS loss, but since it's coming against another MLS team, perhaps that's a bit of a wash.

Regardless, MLS teams now are making their push towards making their league become more influential in the region, at least on the field.

RSL helped push that door open.

Poor display

I talked to Francisco Mendoza after Chivas USA bowed out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. He seemed frustrated, and afterwards, I thought it was more than than just the regular disappointment every competitive player has after a loss.

"I think these competitions are important - just as much as league games, if not more so," said Panchito. "These are the games in which MLS measures itself on an international level - where people from outside the country are looking at the teams and the players."

What I realized is that as a young player, Panchito is looking to the future. MLS has proven to be a launching pad for quite a few players - but mostly American players.

Commissioner Don Garber may point to transfers like Jozy Altidore as examples of players scouted via their league play, but that's a bit disingenuous. Jozy was a prodigy back with the U17 team in 2005, and he definitely garnered attention with his U20 play in 2007. Of course, I'm sure the European scouts who courted Jozy checked out his league games, but there's no way the other games against international competition didn't play an important factor.

Mendoza's visibility isn't getting the same boost from MLS play - Sven and his scouts simply aren't watching MLS like they're tracking games in the Mexican league. Panchito understands that he's not going to get opportunities with the Mexican national team if he isn't able to prove himself on a bigger stage.

Good performances in tournaments versus teams from other countries, especially in the latter stages of competition, could catch the eye of scouts abroad as well.

Mendoza's effort in the recent games couldn't be faulted, but he wasn't able to finish, either.

"I'm disappointed in myself," said Panchito.

I asked him if he felt the league bore any responsibility - if he thought the league was handicapping their own teams through poor cheduling.

"I don't like to blame anyone else," Panchito said. "I can't control what they do. I still think we could have won. We should have won, but we didn't."

Honestly, MLS as a whole, let alone any individual players, doesn't impress anyone when their teams limp out of tournaments the way they did in the CONCACAF competition. At least they didn't go out with the surly behavior of Atlante in the SuperLiga, though.

Los Tuzos a Japon

Pachuca is the best team in CONCACAF. Los Tuzos beat Saprissa at home 2-1 on Wednesday in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and won the series on a 3-2 aggregate. Let's see, Pachuca now has won Copa Sudamericana, CONCACAF Champions Cup (twice), Mexico's Clausura 2006 and 2007 and SuperLiga all in the last two calendar years. And to think, this club was in the second division just a decade ago.

For those interested, Jose Francisco Torres did not play in the match.

If you want to watch an extended clip with match commentary, go here.

Game highlights

Internationally speaking

Mexican clubs had some international dealings on Wednesday, on and off the pitch...

- Pachuca tied Saprissa 1-1 in Costa Rica in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. Luis Gabriel Rey scored los Tuzos' goal early in the second half and the club nearly made it stand but el Monstruo roared back with a goal near the death as Victor Cordero evened things up. Pachuca need only win at home to claim their second consecutive regional crown. Texas native Jose Francisco Torres started and played 62 minutes.

- America and Atlas learned their international fate on Wednesday. America will play Brazilian side Flamengo while Atlas will meet Lanus of Argentina in the knockout round of the Copa Libertadores.

Pachuca-Saprissa for regional supremacy

Pachuca of Mexico and Saprissa of Costa Rica will play the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup tonight in Costa Rica. It will be interesting to see how Pachuca handles playing in Costa Rica as El Monstruo had its way with both Atlante and Houston at its house, winning each game by the same 3-0 score.

Though no American team is left in the tournament, an American player may participate nonetheless. Jose Francisco Torres of Pachuca is might play against Saprissa. Pachuca enters the match on the heels of a terrible result as los Tuzos fell to Puebla 5-2 on the weekend.

Enough with the preseason excuses

D.C. United lost to Pachuca by a 3-2 aggregate despite winning the return leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal match. Houston is done also, as they are down by two in the second half and a miraculous comeback notwithstanding MLS will again see their clubs bowing out before reaching the final.

I've heard so many things tonight and had read so many things leading up to these games about the preseason and how MLS were at a disadvantage because of that. Frankly, it's getting old. Now, I understand that the MLS teams might be a bit rusty in April. Lack of competitive games is a hindrance. But the preseason excuse doesn't hold water when players can't finish. "Preseason" can't excuse the miss Luciano Emilio had earlier today. "Preseason" can't excuse the spectacular whiff Richard Mulrooney had on a failed clearance that led to Saprissa's second goal. Tenacity and aggressiveness are qualities that cannot be diminished by the preseason but frankly they were lacking from DC and Houston in this semifinal round.

The one thing I always say about this competition is that MLS is on a bit of uneven footing in terms of competing against Mexican and Costa Rican teams, and it has nothing to do with the preseason. Costa Rican clubs are not held back by a salary cap. Mexican clubs are free to pursue whatever players they see fit and have only their own officials and fans to answer to. MLS clubs have a pathetically low salary cap and roster restrictions that make it difficult to field teams with true depth. Most MLS teams are a hamstring away from having their seasons go down in flames simply because they don't have quality depth.

Yet all we hear about this competition is how DC will be a better team come July and the sad reality is that this tournament is played in April. Well, May or June or October or whenever, the teams will have the same roster disparities any time of the year which leads me to believe that these same results would occur at any time of the year.

Waste of time

Well, I just wasted some valuable time watching Houston and Saprissa play to a nil-nil draw. I guess I thought too much of Houston and figured they'd actually play with a sense of urgency. But by the time the club got around to actually playing decent soccer, the finishing was terrible.

Enough of the preseason excuses. Houston should have buried the chances they had, whether this game was in March or April or November or whenever. They dropped the ball on this one, well, technically they grazed the right post on a point-blank header that should have been in the back of the net. Multiple times.

Now Houston faces the unenviable task of needing a win in Costa Rica, or at worst a draw and penalty kicks. Yeah, good luck on that one.

Chapo's goals

In case you missed it, Pachuca's goals against D.C. United.

International affairs

The Champions League quarterfinals will undoubtedly take the spotlight on Wednesday but there is plenty of international competition going on in the Western Hemisphere to captivate our attention as well.

Perhaps the best matchup this side of the Atlantic today is the America-River Plate Copa Libertadores match. Of course, America is struggling mightily right now but the two clubs have a rich history and legions of fans throughout the globe, and that always makes for an interesting affair.

America's league campaign is beyond abysmal. Las Aguilas have a 2-8-2 record and a league-low eight points. However, their Libertadores outlook is not quite as bleak. America has six points through four games; fellow Group 5 clubs Deportivo San Martin and Universidad Catolica also have six points but each club has played five games, while America has four matches played.

River Plate, meanwhile, already has a victory over America in this competition. Los millonarios beat America 2-1 in Buenos Aires and are on top of the group with nine points. A draw would see River through to the cup quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, MLS champions Houston will host Saprissa in the first game of the clubs' CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal round. Houston needs a victory, probably a lopsided one, to have a shot of advancing to the final. Houston would do well to take a three-goal aggregate lead down to Costa Rica for the second and decisive match next week and not leave that game to chance.

Saprissa plays tough at home but on the road the club is vulnerable. Atlante beat Saprissa 2-1 in their leg in Mexico but scored two own goals and fell 3-0 in Costa Rica, in a match that featured some off-the-field incidents involving fans that ultimately cost Saprissa a fine.

While the venue will come more into play a week from now, today should be more about Houston taking advantage of the first leg. But given their match on the weekend against New England, Houston is already facing a tough challenge.

Tuzo tough

This year's Pachuca squad is not the same one that won multiple cups in the first part of 2007. However, Pachuca is still a force in Mexico and D.C. United learned that the hard way as Pachuca beat D.C. 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions Cup semifinal series.

Pachuca's offense has valuable weapons such as Juan Carlos Cacho and Christian "Chaco" Gimenez but it was Luis Arturo "Chapo" Montes who was the star of the game. Montes scored both goals and now has scored all three goals in Pachuca's cup campaign thus far.

D.C.'s loss is nothing new. Though the margin continues to be less than before, an MLS team has not yet beaten a Mexican team on Mexican soil in this competition. The margin of win now gives Mexican clubs an all-time aggregate score of 35-6 over their MLS counterparts in such games.

D.C., though, is very much alive. A two-goal deficit is not an insurmountable one, and the club now knows what it has to do in the return leg a week from now.

Bouncing celebration

D.C. United will head to Pachuca for the first leg of the clubs' CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal series on Tuesday. The odds are against D.C. pulling out any type of result. Since the tournament switched to the current format in 2002, Mexican teams hold a 33-6 aggregate score over MLS clubs in games played in Mexico. Still, D.C. held their own in Guadalajara a year ago but came up short 2-1.

Still, D.C. fans may not be too upset with a Pachuca goal or two as long as this fan is there to celebrate.

Los goles

Highlights of Saprissa's 3-0 win over Atlante. Saprissa will play Houston in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Monstrous roar

Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa beat Atlante of Mexico 3-0 on Thursday and advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Saprissa will meet MLS champs Houston for a trip to the final.

Saprissa actually only scored one goal. Atlante had a pair of own goals as Jose Daniel Garcia and Gerardo Omar Castillo each scored a goal on their own goal. Armando Alonso bagged Saprissa's only goal of their own early in the second half.

Houston had problems against Pachuca a year ago, surrendering five goals in Pachuca. On one hand, it's probably a good thing Houston doesn't have to go to Mexico given Mexican clubs' 33-6 aggregate score against MLS teams on Mexican soil in this tournament's history. Then again, Saprissa's home turf isn't exactly a walk in the park. Saprissa, nicknamed El Monstruo, is about as tough of an away game as there is in Central America.

Funny things happen down there too. Atlante had two own goals there. In 2006, the Galaxy played the best first half of soccer they'd played in a long time - including the double-winning 2005 season - and held a 2-0 lead at halftime. But somehow Saprissa clawed their way back into the game and sent it into extra time where a phantom foul call set up a free kick which led to the match-winner and subsequent tournament winning goal.

Houston will host the first leg so they'll need to do better than a two-goal win as they did against Pachuca in the first leg a year ago. Atlante took a 2-1 aggregate score into Saprissa and crashed out spectacularly.

If Houston reaches the final, they will have earned their trip.

United rout

D.C. United thumped Harbour View of Jamaica by a 5-0 score on Tuesday and advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal by virtue of a 6-1 aggregate score. D.C. will await the winner of the Pachuca-Motagua series, which is even at 0-0 entering Wednesday's second leg.

A former Galaxy player had a hand in the rout. Santino Quaranta assisted on one of the later goals. Quaranta came on as a second-half substitute.

I think the Galaxy made some questionable moves over the last 12-18 months or so but getting rid of Quaranta was definitely not one of them. He has talent still and he did do some good things for the Galaxy but he was not going to find success out here. If he regains his form and does well, it's probably because he needed the change of scenery.

It's too bad it couldn't have worked out. Quaranta could have helped this midfield out, but his upside here was minimal at best.

Colts' iron performance

Atlante surprised many by winning the Apertura 2007 championship, but in the Clausura 2008 season Atlante is doing its best to prove that was a fluke. Atlante holds a 2-4-3 record and is second-to-last in Group 2.

But Atlante showed signs of life after all. Before a near sellout, Atlante beat Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa 2-1 on Thursday in the only CONCACAF Champions Cup match thus far to not finish in a draw.

Walter Centeno scored in the 25th minute for the visitors but Atlante responded with an equalizer from Gabriel Pereyra in the 39th minute and won it with Christian Bermudez's goal in the 79th minute.

Nicknamed the Potros Hierros, or Iron Colts, Atlante needs just a draw in Costa Rica to advance to the semifinals. Still, that's not exactly a simple task. Saprissa is one of the more difficult places to play and how Atlante handles El Monstruo Morado in Estadio Ricardo Saprissa remains to be seen but it should be a battle and will probably be the best of the second leg matches.

Lest we forget...

Weeks ago, I'd decided to write about the CONCACAF Champions Cup in my weekly Press-Enterprise column on March 11. Well, that came and went and I ended up not writing anything. As it turned out, the Olympic qualifying tournament took a lot of the attention out there and continues to do so.

But we cannot ignore the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The tournament is on its last legs as it will be replaced by the CONCACAF Champions League. And whether or not your opinion is favorable of the tournament or not, it's there and it will be played.

Houston and DC are the MLS participants, and each side has a different task at hand. Houston visits Guatemalan side Municipal while DC heads to Jamaica to play Harbour View FC.

Ridge Mahoney writing for SI.com gives an overview here while Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle looks at Houston's chance for redemption and John Haydon of the Washington Times writes about the new-look United squad.

Now, of the two games I think Houston has the tougher match. Playing in Guatemala could be a challenge because of the conditions of the field and the potential hostile atmosphere in the stands. However, this is pretty much the same Houston team that went down to Costa Rica and Mexico for matches a year ago and while the results did not go Dynamo's way the experience was invaluable.

On top of that, several of the players know exactly what it's like to play Municipal in Guatemala. In 2003, San Jose met Municipal in this tournament. Brian Ching scored a goal in Guatemala but Municipal won the match 4-2 and despite losing 2-1 at San Jose ousted the MLS club in the process. Municipal fared better against San Jose than they did against Chicago. In 2002, Chicago won in Guatemala by 1-0 on a goal by Dema Kovalenko and the Fire claimed the series on a 3-0 aggregate.

D.C. meanwhile also went down to games in Central America and Mexico but this team underwent more changes than Houston. Still, D.C. should be more than capable of putting away Harbour View. D.C. met this same Jamaican club in 2005 and won both legs by the same 2-1 score. Alecko Eskandarian and Josh Gros scored the goals in Jamaica for the then-defending champs.

Of course, many Houston and DC fans might already be thinking about the next round and possible matchups against Mexican sides Pachuca and Atlante, but Municpal and Harbour View come first, and there are no guarantees of anything for MLS clubs playing on the road in potentially difficult circumstances.