Toronto FC kicks off their quest to become the second straight MLS team to reach the CONCACAF Champions League finals tonight when the Reds welcome Mexican power Santos Laguna to BMO Field for the first leg of their semifinal tie (8 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel/Telefutura).
TFC reached the semifinals by springing a surprise on the favored Los Angeles Galaxy, and based on the last couple of results without the injured Torsten Frings, it's going to take a top-notch effort from TFC to get by Santos Laguna, which routed the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie and boast an impressive strikeforce that includes in-form American striker Herculez Gomez.
Toronto's much-maligned defense could receive a bit of a boost with the return of Canadian centerback Adrian Cann, who is available off the bench to see what would be his first action since tearing his ACL last May, if called upon. Luis Silva and Joao Plata are other options that are on the bench for coach Aron Winter, while Danny Koevermans, Ryan Johnson and Nick Soolsma spearhead a front line that will look to give TFC an attacking boost and an edge heading into the return leg in Mexico.
If you will be watching tonight's match, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.
If your post wasn’t so dam funny I’d almost take you serious. A Mexican fan complaining about one sided officiating. That’s like the pot calling the kettle black. Nobody gets more home cooking then you guys so shut the hell up and stop bitching.
Are you sure that’s what you saw, or are you finally seeing a Mexican side get called for their stupid and dangerous antics?
Considering Mexico’s the country that produced Archundia I’ll give your opinion of referees the respect it deserves.
The Toronto trainer was trying to protect Morgan who was on teh ground from Quintero who had already been sent off and therefore should’ve been leaving the field not remonstrating. Lets be honest Santos are lucky they behaved like that in a civilized country, I’m sure if they’d tried that in certain Concacaf countries they’d be running the gauntlet back to the airport.
You’re probably going to go through anyway so just be happy with the result and stop whinging.
I guess I’ll have to rescind my decision to root for Santos. 🙁
So I came here to see what you guys thought of the game but let me tell you, in Mexico we saw a localist ref that was letting everything go by. Nobody expected better from an MLS ref.
Never mind the two plays, one per side which were really close to being penalty kicks. What we saw was constant, blatant violent tackles which should have been kept in check by the ref, when he finally carded a player it was a Santos player (Crosas) in a play which was waaaaaay less violent than a lot of the Toronto fouls.
The first red card should have been on both sides, your player just came straight in to kick the Santos player, the ball was totally out of his reach. This left the Santos players really mad, you could see it in the very next play when Quintero was called for a foul when he had been pushed around 4 or 5 times in about 10 meters, IN THE SAME PLAY, Quintero was already hot and protested really loudly. He should have been carded but the ref had no control of the game anymore.
By the time the final play came, more fouls, including one on Suarez that was yet another play where a Toronto player should have been carded (can’t tell you who the players are, I know 2 or 3 of them), the game was totally out of control. Quintero was fouled, he responded and, as always happens in these cases, only the second foul was noticed by the side judge. Quintero was, probably correctly, red carded.
Everyone down here knew the fight was coming, the ref made sure it would happen, the TV commentators mentioned it as well. BTW, the detonator of the fight was the Toronto trainer who touched Quintero. If players from Santos are banned, that trainer and the ref need to be banned as well And WTH was security doing ON the field? That only happens in 3rd-rate leagues. That was a provocation as well.
The Sounders played basically the same way, the ref helped them too, why? MLS is, allegedly, a professional league.
Concacaf has no spine so nothing will happen to santos players starting the fight after the game
Uh its Koevermans and he was a beast at the end of the year last year with 8 goals in 11 games. Hes been a bit slow the first two games but that doesnt mean anything
Mares and Quintero are not key players?
Both are starters. Especially Quintero who was injured for a while which is why Gomez has been playing. Herculez is a bench player when everyone is healthy.
Santos player got physical after final whistle then got a red. That sent him into a rage and he started fighting TFC players who fought back then the benches came in and then security it got ugly.
What exactly happened?
Most likely lol. Even though both cards were deserved. And more suspensions could come down because of the fight.
Game ended at 1-1.
What’s the score?
Over/Under on number of Toronto FC players still on the pitch at full time in the second leg? I say 8 – both goalkeepers get sent off for picking up 4 yellows for “time wasting”
He started a freaking brawl, jacked a Toronto player after the whistle and then went after the official and then Toronto staff members.
Then other Santos players started going at the officials and staff.
It was ridiculous.
An MLS ref and two reds for Santos? Good job!!!….Santos will handle toronto easily at home, Mares and Quintero are not really key players.
Did anyone see why Quintero got red carded? They didn’t show it on Univision?
Wtf was that?!?
Santos players started attacking Toronto players and staff.
Maybe they just forgot to get in the biting and face-punching during the game. That’s how most central american teams do it. But after the final whistle, swap shirts and shake hands, no fisticuffs please.
Crazy stuff!
WOW WOW WOW
Santos players attacking security and Toronto FC staff members and players.
They are going to have the hammer dropped on them by CONCACAF. Wow.
That’s dissapointing TFC played it safe your up a man if your going attack this is the perfect time.
Right.
Yeah, it was 50/50 until the ball was gone and the Santos player decided to raise his boot and jam his studs into the Toronto player’s knee cap.
I thought it was 50/50 I until he kicked out in the end.
I won’t even call that a tackle. He clearly tried to seriously injure him. That should result in a very long CCL ban.
OK never mind red card warrented.
Red for Santos? Really?
TFC MUST take advantage here.
Red card? I don’t know.
Thought that definitely should have been a penalty until I saw the replay. I can see why the official didn’t give him that, there wasnt much contact and the Santos player just threw himself to the ground.
Santos player blocks a shot with his hand and nothing is called?
Regardless of intent, the player gained a real advantage from that handball, it should be a penalty.
And you have to take in account that MLS defence are over all bad. LA when healthy is good RSL as well. But most are average to bad.
Like i said one good year. Look how fat he is now. Can Barely play 45 minutes. No i do not think he is good
Maybe because Santos has no superstar that’s well know outside people on blogs like this lol. Other then that I have no idea I guess its raining so maybe that.
Plenty of empty seats at BMO field, what a change from seeing the support for the Galaxy series!
Lol its cool I get frustrated myself. MLS is so close but won’t open the purse strings more to close the gap. Why a 5mil cap is unreasonable I will never know. I think development helps but it isn’t enough. We need super teams to take on the FMF let alone the world.
koevermans scored 8 goals in his first 10 mls games you moron..you think thats not good?
True but Chris what league does that completly. The EPL buys their talent so does most of Europe. I agree that developing talent is important but so is buying it. Real Madrid bought their way to the top so has PSG and Man City. With more money MLS teams can buy quality defenders which the league lacks so bad. MLS teams can score they just can’t play defence against top competition.
Didnt mean to sound angry at you my comment is directed toward MLS, sorry
F*ck DP’s. Look how bad Klovermans and De Guzman are. MLS needs to focus on youth development not bringing in FORMER stars that contribute two years at most. When MLS teams prefer developing talent over buying has beens for “veteran experience” then MLS will be able to go toe to toe with FMF.
Game On!
What the hell?! The officials just carded the Toronto player for trying to take a free kick early.
That’s ridiculous.
Herculez….he’s so hot right now
Gomez just keeps scoring.
Watching Santos play I doubt LA would have done any better maybe a tie or a 2-1 win at home, then get steam rolled in Mexico. That said MLS is almost there the cap get around 5mil plus dps then we can stand toe to toe with the FMF.
You can always root for a 4-3 TFC win in which Herculez scoring 3 for Santos Laguna.
You know, I’m going to break down and just root for Santos Laguna. The fact that Herculez is their scoring star is justification enough for me. Not to mention that Torreon is a lot closer to where I live than Toronto. And that Santos is really, really good.
same
It hurts me to root for TFC