Toronto FC has made headlines for its troubling season and numerous player moves, but the club can earn some acclaim by booking a place in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage with a favorable result in Nicaragua against Real Esteli FC in the second leg of their preliminary round tie (10 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel).
TFC won the first leg, 2-1, behind two goals from Joao Plata, but the Reds conceded a late away goal that gives the home team a decent shot to overturn the one-goal deficit.
If you will be watching the match, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.
I visited Esteli a little over a year ago. Nice little town, but extremely poor like the rest of Nica. When I heard TFC was playing them I couldn’t believe it. You can make fun of the field but if you saw their homes you would be impressed they have a field at all.
They put up a good fight, but it is David vs Goliath.
yet they cant beat a Mexican team in MEXICO, cruz azul has done nothing important in mexico since 1997, they aren’t that good.
cruz azul sucks…
yep and motagua
didn’t TFC beat Cruz Azul last year? Anything can happen…
You do realize that TFC totally dominated Cruz Azul at home and were evenly matched with them down in Mexico with a much worse roster last year right?
Its utterly achievable by MLS teams to get results on Mexican teams these days.
Much like Monterrey las year, PUMAS is the defending mexican champ and they are capable of going undefeated in the tourney.
The record of MLS teams in the CC against Mexican teams is terrible. Even the past couple of years. One good run by RSL proves that MLS *can* do it, but the overall picture tells us that, even in 2011, they’re long-shots. Dale is wrong when he says TFC “cannot” beat Pumas, but what would you put the odds at? 9 to 1 doesn’t seem unfair given the MLS team track record.
By 1 goal, so get off it. Don’t say you’re not belittling mls when you really are. And that’s cool with me, just be honest about it.
Im aware it’s 2011, but the last CCL Every Mexican team made it past the group stages, the only reason there wasn’t a all mexican semis like eve single tourney is because CONCACAF realized the real way to give other teams a chance was by making mexican teams eliminate each other. And Montterey still finished undefeated…it sure isn’t 2005, but Mexican teams are still better equipped than MLS teams…IM not bashing on MLS, I just don’t think they can win this thing unless everything falls into place like it did for RSL, they dint have to face a mexican team in the knockout stages until the final and we al know who won…..
This is 2011, not 2005…FMF teams are favorites, but not unbeatable. times are changing
TFC cannot beat PUMAS, they are a overall better team x4 with quality players. FCD has a better shot but don’t count on either beating PUMAS at home. Thats the big difference, these mexican teams are capable of winning both home and away games while MLS teams settle with just winning at home. Much like Monterrey las year, PUMAS is the defending mexican champ and they are capable of going undefeated in the tourney as well….my picks for CCL champs are Santos Laguna, Montterey, and PUMAS. Those line-ups are sick and very well poised.
TFC is just too far behind now in the rankings to challenge even for a wildcard spot I’m thinking, despite their much improved play. Revs have an outside shot.
Either team can beat Pumas
Thank You, Klinsmann!!!
Not to mention the tenacious Eckersley. If Viator/Iro can solidify the middle, TFC will do more than just playoffs.
Looks like Dallas and TFC will be battling for second place, Pumas shouldn’t have any complications…
That would be funny, but I’d say it’s this guy: http://twitter.com/#!/ghorsfield
Lol! Cool story brah.
The Revolution have improved as well.. one of these two clubs could make a run for the playoffs
Haha
TFC wins despite the home field advantage…they are deeper than most MLS clubs
Another impressive effort by TFC. They have depth and good, young talent. Morgan has been impressive at left Back. With the roster now much improved, it will be difficult to keep this team out of the playoffs.
thats how we should have played last week. was a bit disappointed but hardly shocked to see some of the officiating. glad we are through, also glad to see our team starting to gel. On to DC!
nope, hes gone off to Dallas
yeah, my Sunday pickup game is played on significantly better grass…
grossest field i have ever seen
Oh gee, what a sorpressa, TFC giving up a soft goal.
Only because their keeper has been studying under Robert L Green. Should be 3-0 series over.
If you are trying to say that the Emirates Cup = CONCACAF Champions League in terms of importance, then I disagree.
Without discrediting the Emirates exhibition pre-season Cup. An MLS team winning the CCL is much more important because of the automatic entry into the Club World Cup which would put the MLS up against the best of South America and possibly even the best of Europe in a legitimate tournament that gets decent coverage/press around the world.
Nice goal by Johnson. 1-0 Toronto, 3-1 aggregate.
I don’t get your point. Is there one?
This is SO much more important than some silly tournament with world class clubs in London. Or at least equally as unimportant.
Neither side looks all that sharp, but Esteli looks a tad bit more dangerous.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geoff-Horsfield/108237499199410
He’s a professional football player!! Wow!! Your stock just went way down. I’ll be looking for you in the Nicaraguan league next season.
That’s pretty much what they’re saying. Ok, they’re saying it a bit more “es-telly” than “es-tel-lee” but it sounds essentially the same.
wow MR geoff.horsfield@hotmail.com I’ll be sure to check you out on FB. Lets all make Mr geoff.horsfield@hotmail.com our place to vent against “stupid” everybody-elses around the world.
Estas poco eh hombre? En serio, wow, “stupid americans?” The commentators are Canadian. But you’re probably thinking in the “we are all americans” sense. Right? As in Alaska to Chile? I guess that you’re not soooo stupid then. Only the rest of us “americans.”
the accent on the i…what? Estell? LRONY
The game is also on Galavision. I honestly had no idea Nicaraguans were this passionate about soccer. I thought Nicaragua was a total baseball country like Cuba or the Dominican Republic. I guess things are changing there.
Is that Santos playing?
Funny to me that someone who put their email in the “Name” section and not the “Email Address” section would be calling out a whole country of people for being “stupid”.
Is it really all that important?
hahhahahaha no one gives a f**k. Get a better field then you can complain
Typical clueless Americans……………The Team from Nicaragua is pronounced…….
Real EstelI (with the accent on the i) as in es-tel-lee.
No homework done by the overpaid commentators…….
Stupid Americans…….
terrible field!!!
s t r eam hunter . tv
Links?