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MORELIA, Mexico - Defending champion Monterrey extended its unbeaten streak against Mexican league leader Morelia to eight matches, getting a pair of first-half goals to beat the host Monarcas 3-1 Tuesday in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.
Humberto Suazo scored twice and hit the right post in the 64th, ending Morelia's five-game winning and seven-match unbeaten run. Dario Carreno added an insurance goal in the 92nd minute to make Monterrey the first team since Tecos in October to win in Morelia.
Suazo, who missed the first four games of the Mexican Clausura in a contract dispute, converted a penalty in the 28th and added another goal in the 43rd to give the Rayados their third win against Morelia since last losing to it in 2008.
Morelia played the match without leading scorer Miguel Sabah, who was suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Sabah has seven goals in the last five games and was one of five changes from Saturday's 3-0 win over Queretaro made by manager Tomas Boy.
Both sides started slowly, but Morelia had the earliest dangerous opportunity in the 21st when Gerardo Lugo connected for a sharp header off Rafael Marquez Lugo's cross, a shot that was blocked by the feet of Monterrey keeper Jonathan Orozco.
Seven minutes later, Mexican referee Francisco Chacon called for a penalty after Morelia's Mauricio Romero tripped Angel Reyna with a two-legged sliding tackle as the Monterrey forward entered the area.
Suazo converted for this third goal since January and third in the Champions League.
He doubled Monterrey's advantage 2½ minutes before halftime. Cesar Delgado sped down the right and was able to turn toward goal, sending a sharp ball to the middle of the area where Suazo headed it inside the far post.
Morelia pulled within a goal in the 60th. Gerardo Lugo lofted a long ball from the top of the offensive third and Joel Quiqui outleapt defender Severo Meza at the back post to arc it over goalkeeper Federico Vilar.
Monterrey started without regulars Ricardo Osorio, Neri Cardozo and Walter Ayovi, who replaced Delgado in the 77th minute.
Morelia's best chance to equalize came in the 79th when Jaime Lozano stuck a free kick from 30 meters that Orozco had to tip over the crossbar.
Carreno ended any Morelia hopes in the second minute of injury time, getting a touch to a cross through the goal box and ricocheted it off the post before tapping in to make sure.
Monterrey, which hadn't won away from home since beating the Seattle Sounders in October, will host the second leg of the aggregate goals series on March 13.
