Half Time: Santos Laguna at Chivas USA
Lots of shots on goal from the two teams (a dozen), but only three from Santos Laguna on target so the score is 0-0 after the opening 45 minutes.
The Mexican champions have looked fast and smooth when they transition into attack and gave some idea of their potency with a goal only 60 seconds or so into the game that was called back for offside.
Santos broke quickly in the 12th minute too, Christian Benitez geting behind the defense, rounding goalkeeper Dan Kennedy - and then hitting the bar instead of the open net from eight yards.
Chivas USA have looked considerably less dangerous, frankly.
Their most lively attack in the 23rd minute saw Sacha Kljestan intelligently spray the ball wide to Jonathan Bornstein. Debutante Roberto Nurse completely whiffed on his cross though and hasn't shown much else.
Quite a few Santos fans here tonight - lots more than Pachuca drew on the weekend - and they're often overwhelming the home fans in terms of noise.
New England beat Pachuca 1-0 in the early game, by the way, going through to the next round and doing Chivas USA a huge favor, who play the Revolution Sunday.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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