Morelia rallies to tie United

Diego Martinez scored in the 79th minute to give Monarcas Morelia a 1-1 tie with D.C. United in their opening match of the SuperLiga tournament at Washington.

United had led for most of the game after midfielder Christian Gomez scored in the seventh minute.

The inaugural SuperLiga involves four Major League Soccer teams and four from the Mexican first division.

Gomez curled a free kick from outside the penalty area around a wall of defenders. The shot slipped just inside the right post to give United a 1-0 lead.

Despite playing a man down much of the second half, Morelia battled back against the four-time MLS champion United. From the left wing, Morelia forward Adrian Aldrete found Martinez open outside the right edge of the penalty area. Controlling the crossing pass with his foot, Martinez sent a shot past goalkeeper Troy Perkins into the left side of the goal.

Morelia forward Luis Landin was given a red card for shoving United defender Bobby Boswell. Landin reacted after being kicked by Boswell while the two tangled for the ball near midfield.

United’s next SuperLiga game is Sunday against Club America. Morelia will be at the Houston Dynamo.

In Wednesday’s other game, Nate Jaqua scored in the 42nd minute at Houston to lead the Dynamo over Club America, 1-0.

There were chances for both sides early, but neither goalie even had to handle the ball. In the seventh minute, Club America’s Lucas Castroman took a shot from outside the penalty area that went high. Houston went to the other end and Craig Waibel let one fly that went wide right.

In the 12th minute, America’s Oscar Rojas was well-placed in the middle of the area, but he too missed wide right. Four minutes later Dynamo playmaker Dwayne De Rosario sent a bullet from 35 yards out that also went wide right.