Toluca earns fourth Mexican spot in CCL quarters

October 21, 2009

A second-half penalty kick by Israel Lopez forged a 1-1 draw for Toluca against D.C. United on Tuesday and clinched the Mexican squad’s berth in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

Los Diablos join fellow Mexican sides Cruz Azul, Pachuca and Pumas in the knockout stage, as well as the Columbus Crew. Meanwhile, D.C. United, which became the second Major League Soccer team to earn a point on Mexican soil, will have to wait for Thursday’s Group B finale between Marathon and San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad to know if it will advance.

Marathon needs a victory to advance, or D.C. will claim the second berth from Group B.

D.C. United jumped in front six minutes after the opening kickoff on Chris Pontius’ second goal of the Group Stage. Luciano Emilio latched onto a long punt from goalkeeper Steve Cronin and, after one bounce, headed back to Pontius. The rookie took the ball off his chest and unleashed a blast inside the near post.

For a while it appeared Los Diablos wouldn’t solve D.C. goalkeeper Steve Cronin, who was pressed into action early and often.
In the 37th minute, the recently acquired keeper dived to his right to snare Issac Brizuela’s low, hard shot from distance and in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Raul Nava headed Brizuela’s cross off the crossbar.

Toluca equalizeD in the 62nd minute after Trinidadian referee Geoffrey Hospedales pointed to the spot for a clumsy challenge by Lawson Vaughn that sent Lopez tumbling to the ground near the end line.

Lopez, who came on for Vladimir Marin just three minutes earlier, put a low shot past Cronin, who dived to his left in vain.
Two minutes later, the visitors had their best chance to regain the lead, but Devon McTavish’s diving header from 10 meters was wide of the net.

Toluca was safe to advance with a draw, but the hosts still pressed for the winning goal. Diego De La Torre’s bouncing shot in the 66th minute was wide to Cronin’s left and then Cronin came up with a diving save at the edge of the six-yard box on Nava in the 73rd minute.

Toluca completed the group stage with a 4-1-1 record atop Group B with 13 points. D.C. United was next with 10 points, one better than Marathon. But while Toluca is through, D.C. United must wait until Thursday to learn its fate.

TOLUCA, Mexico

Tags: B. D.C. United, brizuela, champions league quarterfinals, columbus crew, concacaf champions league, cruz azul pachuca, Devon, devon mctavish, Diego De La, diego de la torre, estadio nemesio diez, Geoffrey Hospedales, israel, knockout stage, Lawson Vaughn, luciano emilio, Major League Soccer, marathon, Mexico, nemesio, Nemesio Diez, penalty kick, Raul Nava, san juan, san juan jabloteh, steve cronin, stoppage time, Toluca, Trinidad, Vladimir Marin

Early goals, pair by De la Torre lifts Toluca 7-0

September 18, 2009

Isaac Brizuela and Diego de la Torre scored goals just over a minute apart early in the first half to pace Toluca’s 4-0 win over Marathon on Thursday in a clash that gave the Mexican side the undisputed lead in Group B of the CONCACF Champions League.

The result gave Toluca nine points with three games remaining and within sight of the quarterfinals. Toluca, playing with a core of its regulars that lead the Mexican Apertura, controlled from the start and rarely let Marathon enjoy any extended periods of possession – especially after Jerry Palacios was sent off in the 37th minute with his second yellow card.

Marathon, which lost for only the second time this season in all competitions, remained in second place with six points, three points ahead of third-placed D.C. United. Two teams from each group advance to the knockout round.

Brizuela scored in the 13th minute after settling a cross by Antonio Olvera that was flicked to the far side of the penalty area by Raul Nava. Brizuela twisted defender Juan Carlos Garcia into the ground and then squeezed a shot between goalkeeper Juan Obelar and the near post.

Sixty-three seconds later, Vladimir Marin launched a left-footed cross that De la Torre ran through the six-yard box to head in unmarked.

Toluca, which is unbeaten in eight games in the Mexican league including six victories, continued to dominate and nearly added to its lead in the in the 23rd when Marin was able to break in on Obelar after trapping a long ball with his chest. He continued to close on Obelar, who came off his line and managed to block Marin’s left-footed try with a flick of his right hand.

Marathon managed a pair of corners in the first half, which midway through appeared to be handling the Toluca attack. But Palacios, who earned a first yellow card from Guatemalan referee in the 22nd for a late challenge on Edgar Duenas, received another in the 37th for shoving Marin in the back, reducing Marathon to 10 men and ending the Honduran side’s hopes.

Toluca capitalized on a pair of defensive mistakes to double its lead in the second half. Nava pounced on a loose ball at the right post in the 47th after Marathon center back Erick Norales chested down a cross from Moises Velasco in front of the Honduran goal.

And Mario Beata allowed a long ball out of the back to bounce in front of him and De la Torre reacted by volleying the gift from inside the six past Obelar.

Toluca will remain at home next week to host pointless San Juan Jabloteh, while Marathon will travel to Washington to face D.C. United.

TOLUCA, Mexico

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