Nicolas Sanchez scored on a header in the 43rd minute, and Monterrey earned a 1-0 road win over Tigres in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final on Tuesday in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico.
The second leg of the total-goals series will be played May 1 at Monterrey’s home stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico. The home venues of the two Liga MX rivals are separated by just seven miles.
On the goal late in the first half, Monterrey captain Dorlan Pabon sent in a corner kick that Sanchez met at the penalty spot. Sanchez’s header sailed into the top-right corner of the net.
Regardless of the winner, a Mexican team will capture the title for the 14th year in a row. Monterrey is seeking to add a fourth crown, having prevailed three times in a row from 2011-13. Tigres, the losing finalist in 2016 and 2017, has never won the CONCACAF Champions League.