Orlando City SC pressed and prodded, but a breakthrough goal never materialized and the hosts were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw Tuesday night against Tigres UANL in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round-of-16 series at Inter&Co Stadium.
The second leg will be played on March 12 at Tigres' Estadio Universitario, deciding which team books a quarterfinal date with the winner of the Houston Dynamo FC-Columbus Crew series.
Orlando City’s best chance of the first half came in the late stages, when Luis Muriel won the ball in the Tigres defensive third, took on a defender and sent a powerful low shot that goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán got a touch on.
The Lions dominated possession and looked the more dangerous side in the final half hour, though it was Pedro Gallese who was called into action for the first time in the 70th minute, getting a hand on a volley by Sebastián Córdova from the edge of the 18-yard box.
In the 81st minute, second-half substitute Duncan McGuire played Ramiro Enrique into the box, but Guzmán raced off his line to take away the opportunity.
McGuire then tried to chip the goalkeeper, but his attempt landed just over the crossbar.
Goals
- None
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Orlando huffed and they puffed, but they couldn’t get one by Nahuel Guzmán, which could prove costly in the return leg in Mexico next week. Tigres would have loved an away goal, but not conceding on the road works as well and they’ll be confident in the friendly confines of Estadio Universitario.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The "what-if moment of the match" came just before halftime when Luis Muriel came this close to the decisive goal.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Guzmán is the biggest reason the Lions walked off frustrated. He technically wasn’t given a save for that Muriel chance above, but he did in the 81st minute when Ramiro Enrique was played behind the Tigres defense.
Next Up
- ORL: Saturday, March 9 vs. Minnesota United FC | 7:30 pm ET (MLS Season Pass) | MLS regular season
- TIG: Saturday, March 9 at Club América | 10 pm ET | Liga MX Clausura
