Santos Laguna, UANL seize CONCACAF Champions League edge over New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo

Goals shortly before and after halftime lifted Mexico's on Tuesday in Harrison, New Jersey, in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal.

The second leg of the aggregate-goals series will be played March 12 at Torreon, Mexico.

Diego Valdes put Santos on top when he scored in the 42nd minute off an assist from Julio Furch, pounding a shot to the lower left corner from the top of the box. In the 48th minute, Furch doubled the lead from short range after a slick Santos passing sequence.

In the late CONCACAF Champions League game Tuesday night, Enner Valencia and Luis Quinones each had a goal and an assist in the second half at Houston as Mexican side .

In the 78th minute, Valencia chipped a pass over a defender's head to Quinones, who immediately returned the ball to Valencia on a give-and-go that resulted in a 7-yard goal.

Three minutes later, Valencia's long diagonal pass for Quinones just outside the box resulted in a perfect first touch by Quinones, allowing him to get wide of the lone defender and hammer home an 18-yard shot.

The second leg will be played March 12 at San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico.