Club America showed why its the reigning champion, twice coming back from deficits to draw Seattle Sounders 2-2 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal.
Darwin Quintero and Oribe Peralta scored road goals for Las Águilas, who host the return leg March 2 at 8 p.m. ET.
Clint Dempsey scored both of Seattle’s goals, but defensive lapses allowed the champs to even things up in Washington.
[ WATCH: Dempsey’s free kick goal ]
Osvaldo Alonso tore a low shot wide of the post in the second minute, and Seattle was off and running.
The Sounders appeared to have taken the lead by a razor-thin goal line margin, but Jordan Morris’ header was missing just enough steam for Tiago Volpi to paw it off the line.
[ MORE: UEFA Champions League roundup ]😱😱😱 #SEAvCA pic.twitter.com/ux4pxi73gK
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) February 24, 2016
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Rubens Sambueza picked up a deflected ball off Brad Evans and pushed an odd-angled shot off the crossbar.
Then, end of half chaos. First Clint Dempsey swept a 25-yard free kick past Volpi to make it 1-0, but America struck back within 60 seconds.Clint Dempsey is having a very, very good night. Sounders lead 2-1. Live @FS1. #MLS #CCL https://t.co/Ww59Ej1DqG
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 24, 2016
A long ball over the top exposed Brad Evans, and Colombia striker Quintero blew by the back line and caught Stefan Frei flat-footed to make it 1-1.
Morris won a corner, and Dempsey made it 2-1 off service from Andreas Ivanschitz. He rose back post to pound a header off the turf and past Volpi.
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America made its case for another quick equalizer, but Frei parried a Quintero chance to keep it 2-1.
Evans and Frei were lost again on Seattle’s second goal, as Peralta darted free to redirect Quintero’s left-footed cross ever so slightly to make it 2-2.Oribe Peralta drifts free to poke home Club América’s second goal in Seattle. #MLS #CCL https://t.co/4T0wGsQb07
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 24, 2016
Dempsey won a stoppage time free kick on the left edge of the 18, drawing a yellow card on Pablo Aguilar, but Ivanschitz’s left-footed offering was handled by Club America.
