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Thursday Kickoff: UEFA, CONCACAF Champions Leagues highlights

By AVI CREDITOR

Arjen Robben played hero again for Bayern Munich, as his 69th-minute goal gave his side a 1-0, first-leg victory over Lyon in their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie Wednesday afternoon at Allianz Arena.

Both teams finished with 10 men, as Bayern's Franck Ribery saw red in the 37th minute, and Lyon's Jeremy Toulalan received two yellow cards three minutes apart, with the final one coming in the 54th minute. Their absences should make for an interesting twist to the return leg next week in France. Here are the highlights of the match:

And while you might have been sleeping (at least on the East Coast)…

…Cruz Azul scored a 2-1 edge over Pachuca in the first leg of the all-Mexican CONCACAF Champions League finals. Emanuel Villa scored in the 19th minute for Cruz Azul, and the hosts doubled their lead four minutes later on a Carlos Rodriguez own goal.

Damian Alvarez secured a crucial away goal in the 69th minute, and Jose Francisco Torres played the full 90 for Pachuca. Cruz Azul will be without defender Julio Dominguez in the second leg after he saw red for a 78th-minute tackle of Torres (fast-forward to 2:30) Wednesday night. Onto the highlights, where you'll see that Pachuca is extremely fortunate to only be down a goal heading home:

Do you think Bayern Munich can hold on in France and make the final without Ribery? Hoping that Torres sparks a Pachuca comeback in the second leg?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. good point. how many pro (MLS, USL, etc) and youth teams play on baseball or football team fields? the narrow fields has something to do with it,

    but more so its like comparing spain vs. england every team and group people have a different way of taking the game. i hope our nation does more than become experts of anti-football.

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  2. toulalans first foul not a yellow? the ball is already 10 metres away and he puts his foot up to stop Robben. You must be kidding.

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  3. I would be curious to know the average field dimensions in MLS vs. Mexican League. Just watching on TV, it always seems like the Mexican fields are much bigger (especially wider). And that would lend itself to a more passing, possession-oriented style game. Add the fact that more than a few of the Mexican stadiums are at altitude, and it becomes obvious that you can’t just run around chasing the game all day. Better to conserve energy, possess, pass, let the ball do the work. Anyway, that’s my theory for some of the differences in style of play between the two nations.

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  4. Perhaps you should go back and watch the tape. He came in high, late, and with studs up. He also crashed into the Bayern player’s leg in doing so. It’s hard to imagine that not warranting a straight red.

    Neither of Toulalan’s fouls even warranted a yellow, ESPECIALLY the second. Both players challenged the ball at the same time, and there was no player contact. They each hit opposite sides of the ball. However, because Schweinsteiger flopped and rolled about after the play, the ref produced a yellow.

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