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SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras - Marathon rallied from an early deficit to beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 in Thursday's Group Stage opener for both teams in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The match completed the first round of the Group Stage and left the Honduran side atop Group C with Monterrey.

Marathon, which reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League the past two seasons, dominated possession for much of the first half and overcame a 17th-minute deficit with goals in the 27th and in first-half injury time, the latter on a disputed penalty by Nicolas Cardozo.

The result ended Seattle's nine-game unbeaten streak, including the Preliminary Round and handing the Sounders their first loss since July 4.

Marathon had the better of early play but Seattle led when Fredy Montero stole the ball from Marathon defender Adolfo Machado ball near the Furia Verde (Green Fury) byline. The Sounders forward quickly sent it to the middle of the penalty area, Blaise N'Kufo got a slight touch to deflect it to the back side and Roger Levesque hit the ball first time to beat goalkeeper Shane Orio.

Marathon regained the initiative after a few minutes later and eventually equalized. Mario Berrios played a ball over the top into the left side of the area where Randy Diamond flicked it with the outside of his right foot back toward the 18. Orvin Paz took a touch to turn inside and struck a right-footed shot inside the near post and past Sounders keeper Kasey Keller.

Marathon went ahead seconds into injury time after Tyrone Marshall was called for a penalty, tracking toward his own goal and his on attempted clearance kicked the back of the leg of Diamond, who had lunged his left leg in front of the Jamaican.

Cardozo converted the penalty, sending it down the middle and high to beat Keller.

Seattle had much more of the play in the second half and challenged Orio on several occasions. Second-half substitute Michael Seamon headed Levesque's corner kick off the crossbar in the 78th and Nate Jaqua turned and shot high from the corner of the six-yard box two minutes later.

The Sounders last chance came in the 89th when Montero turned on a loose ball just outside the six and bounced a shot just wide of the left post. The missed opportunity came seconds after Seattle appealed for a penalty after Montero appeared to be tripped in the penalty area.

Seattle used a first-choice lineup but was without regular wing midfielder Steve Zakuani (soreness) and Sanna Nyassi (suspension).


Seattle utiliz?? una formaci??n de primera opci??n pero no tuvo en sus filas al alero mediocampista titular Steve Zakuani (adolorido) y Sanna Nyassi (suspendido).