SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- Rodolfo Zelaya provided the offense and goalkeeper Victor Garcia supplied the defense to lead Alianza to a 1-0 victory over Olimpia in their 2017 Scotiabank CONCACAF League quarterfinal, first leg at the Estadio Cuscatlan on Thursday night.
Zelaya gave the host all the scoring it needed in the 51st minute. El Salvador’s all-time CONCACAF Gold Cup scorer (9 goals) latched onto a long ball on the left side and beat Johnny Palacios and Ever Alvarado, before firing an eight-yard shot through the legs of goalkeeper Donis Escober for a 1-0 lead.
It was the 29-year-old Zelaya's third goal in as many matches in the competition, all three Alianza wins.
Garcia was spectacular as he recorded the shutout. His most memorable stop came in the 71st minute, making an acrobatic, fingertip save of Carlo Costly's header.
In the first half, Garcia parried away Roger Rojas' 18-yard attempt in the fourth minute and Kevin Hernandez from close range on the right side in the 16th minute. The Uruguayan was aided by the crossbar as Gerson Rodas' free kick from the left side bounded off the woodwork in the ninth minute.
Alianza's best opportunity in the half came in the 18th minute as Juan Portillo missed wide left in a 1v1 situation with Escober from seven yards.
Alianza and Olimpia will meet in the second leg in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, August 24.