GUATEMALA CITY - Rolando Fonseca's goal in the 73rd minute helped host Comunicaciones forge a 1-1 draw with Pachuca in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals Wednesday night at Estadio Cementos Progreso.
Pachuca will host the second leg on March 16 Estadio Hidalgo. The aggregate winner advances to the semifinals.
Fonseca troubled Pachca several times, and his work paid dividends with 17 minutes left. The Costa Rican was played behind the offside trap, took one touch and sent a left-footed shot across the goal into opposite side netting from 16 meters to equalize for the Guatemalan league leaders.
Fonseca had a chance to win the match, but his free kick in the 81st minute went over Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero's crossbar.
Pachuca took the lead inside of the first minute when Paul Nicholas Aguilar took a deep cross from Damian Manso and beat Comunicaciones goalkeeper David Guerra with a low first-time shot.
Aguilar's early strike stunned the hosts, who had their first scoring chance in the seventh minute. But Fonseca's low free kick, which split the Pachuca wall, was off target.
Manso nearly doubled Pachuca's advantage in the 29th minute, but his stunning free kick from 35 meters was wide of Guerra's goal.
Nine minutes later, Fonseca got on the end of a quality cross, but his bicycle kick from the penalty spot went wide to Calero's right.
There was one change at halftime when Edgar Chinchilla replaced Jean Marquez for Pachuca, which nearly again doubled its lead in the 48th minute when Edgar Benitez found Aguilar, but his diving header was saved by Guerra.
In the 55th minute, Guerra did well to push aside a cross by Gregorio Torres that nearly slipped into the net.
Two minutes later, Fonseca found himself open with tons of space at the edge of the box, but his attempt was off target.
