San Juan Jabloteh lead football underdogs

NEW YORK: All four underdogs took advantage of their home-field advantage in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup football quarter-finals. Both Major League Soccer teams were beaten while Pachuca of Mexico also lost. Monterrey of Mexico was the only team to go into next Wednesday’s second leg on even terms as it held Deportivo FAS of El Salvador to a 0-0 draw. Also, CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad shocked the Chicago Fire of the United States 5-2; Alajuelense of Costa Rica blanked the San Jose Earthquakes 3-0; and Saprissa of Costa Rica beat Mexican champion Pachuca 2-0. In Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Cornell Glenn scored a first-half hat-trick as Jabloteh crushed US Open Cup champions Chicago at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Kerry Noray added two more goals for the Caribbean champions while Justin Mapp scored for the Fire. Jabloteh defender Ancil Elcock gave Chicago its first goal with an own-goal. The winners will face either Saprissa or Pachuca in the semi-finals. In San Jose, Costa Rica, Wilson Munoz and Alvaro Saborio scored a goal each for two-time Champions Cup winners Saprissa. Munoz got the first goal in the 34th minute at the National Stadium by firing a looping shot that beat Pachuca goalkeeper Edgar Hernandez and just cleared the right post. Saborio, who missed a penalty in the 27th, redeemed himself in the 85th by finding the back of the net.

Pachuca coach Manuel Vucetich said the tournament was not a top priority for his team, which will host Saprissa in the second leg in Hidalgo. In San Salvador, El Salvador, Monterrey of Mexico held host Deportivo FAS of El Salvador to a scoreless draw at Cuscatlan Stadium. Victor Mafla had the best chance to score for FAS in the fourth minute but Monterrey goalkeeper Juan Ibarra made the save. In the second half, Monterrey captain Jesus Arellano fed team-mate Eliot Buitron, but his shot went off the post. The winners will play either Alajuelense or the San Jose Earthquakes. In San Jose, Costa Rica, Erick Scott, Froylan Ledezma and Luis Diego Arnaez netted one goal each for the Costa Rican champions.