CONCACAF Champions League Review: Rimando, Plata stand tall for RSL

Real Salt Lake opened their CONCACAF Champions League campaign with an away win, holding on for a 1-0 victory at Municipal on Tuesday.

Joao Plata's early goal gave RSL the edge in Guatemala, although they needed a strong performance from Nick Rimando to prevail in the feisty encounter.

Rimando made four saves, including a brilliant fingertip one to push Carlos Ruiz's free-kick onto the bar in the shadows of half-time.

Plata struck the only goal of the game in the third minute, controlling a clearing header from Municipal's defence on the edge of the box and driving the ball into the bottom corner.

The win saw RSL bounce back from their 6-4 loss at DC United in MLS on Saturday, while Municipal have lost three of their past four games in all competitions.

In the two other matches, Santos Laguna cruised past W Connection 4-0, while Queretaro defeated Panama's San Francisco 2-0.

Djaniny scored a brace for Santos in their victory, tapping in Jose Abella's low cross for the 42nd-minute opener and pouncing on a poor back pass to make it 3-0 in the 68th minute.

Alonso Escoboza and Luis Mendoza struck the other goals for the home side, while in Santiago de Queretaro, Emanuel Villa and Victor Milke were the scorers.