Toronto FC kicked its CONCACAF Champions League group stage off to a great start on Tuesday night after registering an impressive 2-1 victory against Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul at BMO Field.
Martin Saric and Mista scored first-half goals for TFC, which dominated the normally strong Mexican visitors for stretches and looked like a team intent on advancing beyond the group stage.
Goalkeeper Jon Conway got the nod in goal and delivered a handful of quality saves to help Toronto erase some of the bad memories of last year's failed CONCACAF Champions League campaign by scoring the first victory in the tournament in club history. Here are match highlights from Toronto FC's historic victory.
Toronto's win will put pressure on pre-tournament Group A favorites Real Salt Lake and Cruz Azul. Real Salt Lake opens its tournament campaign tonight against Arabe Unido.
Here are some other stories to get your Wednesday going:
CANNON OUT WITH BROKEN ANKLE
San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon enjoyed a standout performance last weekend after regaining his starting role, but he will be heading to the sidelines yet again after suffering a broken ankle in training on Tuesday.
Cannon was instrumental in San Jose's 1-0 shutout victory against Kansas City, but now the Earthquakes must once again turn to veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch, who had been steady in net before an awful blunder two weeks ago.
The injury is the latest to a San Jose side struggling to stay healthy. The club is already dealing with injuries to starting defenders Ramiro Corrales, Chris Leitch and Ike Opara, and will also face first-place Los Angeles on Saturday without starting defender Jason Hernandez, who is suspended after receiving a red card in the win against Kansas City.
Cannon is expected to miss two months, which means he could be back for the final two weeks of the regular season.
YOUNG BOYS SHOCK TOTTENHAM
Swiss side Young Boys Berne didn't figure to cause English power Tottenham much trouble in their Champions League playoff series, but trouble is exactly what Spurs got in the form of a 3-0 first-half deficit on Tuesday.
Tottenham ralled back to score two goals in a 3-2 loss, but the pressure is on Spurs to win their return leg next week.
Here are the rest of the scores from Tuesday's UEFA Champions League playoff matches:
Young Boys 3, Tottenham 2
Dynamo Kiev 1, Ajax Amsterdam 1
Zenit St. Petersburg 1, Auxerre 0
Sparta Prague 0, MSK Zilina 2
Rosenborg 2, FC Copenhagen 1
The second five Champions League playoff series begin today, featuring Sacha Kljestan's Anderlecht against Partizan Belgrade, as well as the highly-anticipated Werder Bremen-Sampdoria clash.
WEDNESDAY FREE KICKS
Puerto Rico's CONCACAF Champions League group stage began with a home draw against CD Olimpia.
Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri will miss a month after knee surgery.
Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie is set to sign for West Brom.
Joe Cole's week keeps getting better. First, he earns his first career red card, now he's been found guilty of speeding.
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What did you think of Toronto's performance last night? See San Jose overcoming its injuries to reach the playoffs? Still trying to come up with good "Young Boys" jokes?
Share your thoughts below.
Not bad Toronto, not bad
Do you think any NAMBLA members did double-takes when they were scrolling through the TV stations?
MIsta and Saric finally contribute
Sorry Jesus, I will repent at a later time..
along with two of some of the best players from the swiss league….Chiumiento would have been a great and surprising signing for an MLS team, let alone vancouver (even though they will be MLS next season)
Hey Joe, ever hear of KARMA? It sucks, doesn’t it?
Cody Arnoux has signed with Vancouver and could play as early as tomorrow but I doubt it. I think he still has a hamstring problem.
Sophomoric but really strong, Josh.
What is wrong with you???
awesome
Yup, those Young Boys were able to keep it up for 90 minutes, penetrate deep, and insure Defoe wasn’t successful playing in the hole when Spurs thought they were just going to lie down and take it.
Sadly, the Young Boys couldn’t keep it tight enough in the back and let Pav slip in at the end to make for an interesting return leg.
Morale of the story: When you let Young Boys get on top, you’re in trouble.
Tough one to swallow Spurs, we know.
Was at the TFC game last night – fantastic atmosphere and only 16000. I think Cruz Azul were figuring on a win before it started. TFC played quite well and Conway made at least 2 excellent saves. With a small squad, I think TFC was only ever hoping to come second in the group – maybe sneak a draw at home last night, win the other two home games, play academy players and reserves in Mexico and hope for a result in one or both of the other away games. Last night`s shock result for Cruz might be bad news for the other 2 teams.
We still have Edu, Gooch, and Jones. Edu is sure to get time and surely Jones will too. Gocch hopefully will get a look soon
Time sure is winding down for any Yanks making moves before the window closes.
How funny would it be if Sacha was the one American playing in the CL group stages? Odds would have been long on that earlier in 2010.
TFC’s win last night is going to make the row a bit harder for RSL, but I still think they can do it.
It might be a stretch, but thinking that RSL and TFC might both advance out of the group is pretty heady stuff.
“Jon Busch, who had been steady in net before an awful blunder two weeks ago.”
Actually two blunders… in addition to the own goal against Colorado he let that soft cross bounce off his chest for Donovan’s last minute goal in the SJ-LA game.
I’d say I like RSL’s chances at home vs Cruz Azul. If they could pull out 3 points at home and one of the two MLS sides int aht group (or Arabe Unido) gets a result on the road vs Cruz Azul, I’d say both MLS sides could advance from that group. We’ve seen just one match though…
I seem to think that as long as we win all 3 games at BMO and one on the road we can make it out of the group.
RSL at home will be a tough game, not sure about Arabe Unido, feeling a bit more confident about them seeing as we did well enough against Cruz Azul.
thats not to mention the fact that TFC didnt really conceed the goal so much as a poor call was made
I thought the Young Boys looked okay. Palacios sprayed the ball all over the place but Tottenham were horrible in front of the goal. Spurs just didn’t have any rhythm while the Young Boys did.
I have a bad gut feeling that Cruz Azul will trounce Toronto at home. However, I’m happy to see our MLS representatives kick off the tournament on a high.
yup. priceless.
Puerto Rico had a big opportunity last night. It hurts leaving valuable home points on the table.
I realize it was only the first group stage match but it was a home game and the conditions were in the Islanders’ favor with the field bieng a water soaked mess.
You have to play every match but the difference between starting off with the three points as opposed to the point is a big one.
Especially since my boys struggle on the road. Thos points are going to have to be made up in ES or HON. I like our chances better against FAS.
What? TFC got three points last night with their win. They are in the group stages on CONCACAF. They are not a home and away series with Cruz Azul.
Personally, I thought the crack about Mary Kay LeTourneau was sublime…
I doubt any other team going to Mexico holds much promise either. The advantage TFC do hold is that the other teams now need to achieve a result against Cruz Azul in their respecitive home matches.
oh…right. pardon me. dumb post
CONCACAF is in group stages, not knockout- away goals don’t matter as much…. points first, goal difference second
Mista and the Pogues’ Shane McGowan, separated at birth?
Conceding late away goals could very well end up costing both the Young Boys and TFC. I think it’s a stretch to say either of those teams have the advantage. The Spurs figure to win at least by one goal, which would send them through, and TFC going down to Mexico doesn’t hold much promise.
Young Boys jokes were the best thing to happen to Twitter… ever?
And let’s be clear: the most fun aspect of the Tottenham game yesterday was Ives’ tweets about the Young Boys clean sheets….or lack of said.
Cheers!