MLS club Real Salt Lake produced a solid performance in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday night.
The Royals held Mexican outfit Monterrey to a 2-2 draw at the Estadio Tecnologio to set themselves up for the return leg at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah on April 27 (next Wednesday).
Jesus Di Nigris got the home side off to a good start when he swooped on a loose ball in the box to slot home in the 17th minute but the visitors leveled about 17 minutes later when Nat Borchers headed home.
It looked like the opening tie would go the way of the Mexicans when Chilean international Humberto Suazo converted from the penalty spot just after the hour-mark to make it 2-1 and when RSL had not replied as the final minutes approaching, the result looked certain.
But Javier Morales popped up with the equaliser with just under two minutes remaining to give Jason Kreis' men every chance to become the third American club - following DC United (1998) and LA Galaxy (2000) - to take out the competition.
