Queretaro, Tigres battle to stalemate

Action from the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, first-leg match between visiting Tigres (yellow jersey) and Queretaro on March 15, 2016, in Queretaro, Mexico. (Photo: Mexsport) QUERETARO, Mexico – Liga MX sides Queretaro and Tigres scrapped to 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinal on Tuesday night at the Estadio Corregidora. They will square off again on April 5 at the Estadio Universitario in San Nicolas de los Garza.  Tigres can advance with a victory, while Queretaro would progress with an away win, or if it scores at least one goal in a draw. In the first scoreless semifinal match in SCCL history Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman made five stops and Queretaro custodian Tiago Volpi came up four saves. Queretaro has not conceded a goal in four SCCL matches, preventing UANL from netting for the first time in seven road outings in the competition. The visitor lost Mexico international midfielder Jurgen Damm in the 12th minute following a knee-on-knee collision as neither team generated significant chances in the opening half-hour. Queretaro would eventually threaten first.

Angel Sepulveda drove Yerson Candelo’s low cross toward the penalty spot just wide of the right post in the 31st minute.  Four minutes later, Guzman reached high above his head to deny Sepulveda on a breakaway and, in the 37th, Edgar Benitez shot narrowly wide on another Queretaro break. Tigres responded seconds later, when Lucas Zelarayan -- Damm’s replacement -- took a pass on the right, cut back twice to evade Jonathan Bornstein, firing a right-footed shot over the crossbar. In the 39th minute, Tigres’ Rafael Sobis got free on the left and unleashed a dipping shot that forced Tiago Volpi into a sprawling save at his near post. There were fewer chances after the break. Benitez worked himself free on the left and brought a lunging stop from Guzman in the 57th minute, and Javier Carmona wasted his opening in the 74th minute with an effort directly at Volpi. In stoppage time, Tigres and Liga MX Clausura scoring leader Andre Gignac worked himself free at the penalty arc, but fizzed his shot wide of the left post. Queretaro also had a free kick in the dying moments, but Guzman easily collected the service into the penalty area.