Monterrey Vs. Real Salt Lake, CONCACAF Champions League: RSL Escapes With 2-2 Tie

Real Salt Lake has won a MLS Cup, but they did so in Seattle. They have played for an Eastern Conference championship, but that game was in Chicago. There have been playoff games at Rio Tinto Stadium, but never beyond the first round. Not only will Wednesday's game be the biggest to ever be played at Rio Tinto Stadium, but it has a chance to be one of the most important moments in MLS history.

RSL will host Monterrey with a chance to hoist the CONCACAF Champions League trophy. After their 2-2 tie with Monterrey, RSL can claim the championship with as little as a 1-1 or 0-0 tie. RSL Soapbox, SB Nation's Real Salt Lake blog, points out just how good their team is at home:

Of course RSL haven't given up more than 2 goals since their 37 match home unbeaten streak began, and only twice have they given up two goals (4-2 win over FC Dallas in 2009, and a 2-2 draw with Seattle in the home opener in 2010). In fact they allowed just 7 goals at Rio Tinto in MLS play last year, while they scored 31 goals while going undefeated in 2010 at home. In 2009 they were 9-1-5 at home with 34 goals scored and 11 allowed. Yes RSL is a dominant team at home.

By almost all reasonable accounts, Real Salt Lake was thoroughly outplayed during the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League final with Monterrey on Wednesday. Yet, they will be heading back to Rio Tinto Stadium all even after Javier Morales scored a 89th minute goal to tie the score 2-2.

Morales' goal came entirely against the run of play and just moments after Humberto Suazo nearly gave Los Rayanos a 3-1 lead, but RSL goalkeeper was able to get a hand on the chip attempt to keep it out of the goal. On the tying score, Morales received the ball just outside the penalty area, made some space by faking a shot and then blasted the ball past Monterrey goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco.

The goal was doubly important for RSL. Not only is the score tied, but RSL now has two away goals in their pocket, meaning they would win the championship even if next Wednesday's second leg were to end tied at 0-0 or 1-1.

RSL will likely need every advantage they can muster as they will be playing without defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the tournament in the 65th minute. In order to become the first MLS team to win CCL, they'll also likely have to turn in a better performance than they did on this day. Monterrey had one goal disallowed for an incorrect offside call and were denied one penalty on what appeared to be a clear hand ball. They also controlled possession and generally looked to be the better team while building 1-0 and 2-1 leads.

The Royals, though, deserve credit for battling back each time. Aldo De Nigris gave the home team the first lead in the 18th minute. Nat Borchers scored the first equalizer in the 35th minute that came off a Will Johnson pass. After Suazo scored on a penalty to give Monterrey the 2-1 lead, Morales once again showed why he just might be the best player in MLS.

Real Salt Lake had been pushing their luck a little bit, avoiding being penalised for a clear handball in the box in the first half and then seeing a perfectly legitimate Monterrey goal taken back by the linesman's flag, but eventually that luck was going to run out. Now it has. Jamison Olave attempted to clear a cross, only to completely miss his kick and see the ball hit his hand instead - a stonewall penalty, and Humberto Suazo stepped up to power his shot past Nick Rimando to give the hosts a thoroughly deserved lead.

There's even more bad news for the visitors, though, as key midfielder Kyle Beckerman has managed to pick up a yellow card for no apparent reason following a 50-50 challenge in the middle of the park. The captain will now miss the second leg at the Rio Tinto Stadium, and that could be a big deal for RSL. Beckerman's not the only player to find his way into the book - Alvaro Saborio was shown yellow for a very late challenge on Monterrey goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco, and then substitute Jesus Zavala managed to get away with a caution after grabbing Sabiorio's throat in response. Handbags!

Many wondered how Real Salt Lake would respond and in the 35th minute they did. Defender Nat Borchers hammered home a Will Johnson cross to tie the game up 1-1. Borchers had a couple of chances shortly before the goal. Real Salt Lake had been knocking on Monterrey's door for the bulk of the first half.

Monterrey had gone up 1-0 earlier in the first half thanks to a Jesus De Nigris goal in the 18th minute. The goal came off a mad scramble in front of Nick Rimando's net. Real Salt Lake was slow to clear the ball out of the box and De Nigris made them pay for it. 

Shortly after the game's first goal, Monterrey subbed both De Nigris and Luis Perez. One has to wonder if the two subs were meant for keeping players out of suspension for the next leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Final or if it were to keep players fresh for this weekend's match. 

The goal for Real Salt Lake though is a big one. Getting a road goal in a two legged series like this is a big deal for the MLS club. Should Real Salt Lake hold on to this result, it would mean a big deal to the American club and it's league.

After moments of pressuring Monterrey's goal, Real Salt Lake saw themselves quickly defending their own. In the blink of an eye Jesus De Nigris found the back of the net after a mad scramble in the penalty box. The goal came in the 18th minute after some heavy pressure around the penalty box by Monterrey. 

Real Salt Lake had done well defending before the goal came. Nick Rimando had come up with a couple big stops early on in the game. But Monterrey's speed on the flanks and quick counter attacks are causing some issues for the  Claret-and-Cobalt. 

Shortly after the goal, De Nigris and Luis Perez was subbed out in place of a defensive subs. Monterrey does have a home match this weekend and could be saving players for that or could be saving players for the next leg in this series from picking up any unneeded red cards. 

It will be interesting to see if the two early subs by Monterrey will come back to haunt them later on in the match.

Well, the start of the CONCACAF Champions League final is almost here. Whether MLS can breakthrough with a Real Salt Lake win and put a team in the FIFA Club World Cup or whether Mexico is still home to the top league in North America (it is, regardless of who wins this two-legged final) will be battled out beginning tonight in the first of two legs as Monterrey hosts the American side.

For Real Salt Lake, they are going with their best XI. Built around Kyle Beckerman in the center of the midfield, with Jamison Olvae and Nat Borchers anchoring the defense and Alvaro Saborio capable of scoring out of nothing, this is the team that RSL wants to go with whenever possible so they're in a good spot to try and get a result in Monterrey.

As for the home side, either they are going for a huge home win or they don't respect Salt Lake very much. Almost everyone in their team tonight is a capable attacker. There is not a ball winner in the midfield and they will undoubtedly be looking to score two, three or even four if their lineup is any indication of their attitude going into tonight's match.

Monterrey: Jonathan Orozco; Ricardo Osorio, Luis Perez, Jose Basanta, Hiram Mier, Sergio Perez, Neri Cardozo, Walter Ayovi, Sergio Santana, Aldo De Nigris, Humberto Suazo

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Robbie Russell, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert; Ned Grabavoy, Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Ryan Johnson; Alvaro Saborío, Fabian Espíndola

In honor of what really is a historic meeting between Real Salt Lake and Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions League finals, RSL Soapbox and FMF State of Mind have collaborated on a rather epic undertaking. The two SB Nation sites are breaking down the match up position-by-position.

First up, FMF State of Mind looks at Monterrey's goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco. Although he has just one cap for the Mexican national team, Orozco might be the best goalkeeper playing in the Mexican Primera.

At just 24 years of age, Orozco is already an incredibly accomplished player. He's started well over 100 professional games for Monterrey in his young career, helping his team to two titles in the Mexican Primera. Additionally, he's been the starter in two tournaments where Monterrey ended the regular season with the best record, but did not win the title in Liguilla.

Next up, FMFSoM looked at the Monterrey defense. While defense may not be Los Rayados' specialty, they are no slouches in back.

Of the four areas of the team, goalkeepers, defense, midfield, and forwards, defense is probably the weakest for Monterrey. However, this does not mean their defense is weak. This is a complete team, and they match up evenly (at worst) with Salt Lake in all areas of the pitch. Vice captain Jose Basanta, a central defender, is probably the most consistent player at the back. Long time Mexican international Ricardo Osorio is also first choice, and Sergio Perez has claimed a regular starting spot recently.