Things began so well for Toronto FC, but a defensive collapse ended their dreams of becoming the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League.
Toronto FC were eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals on Wednesday night, as they gave up four second-half goals to Santos Laguna in a 6-2 loss in the second leg of their semifinals series. Santos advanced on aggregate, 7-3.
Thanks in part to a pair of second-half penalty kicks, Santos fought off a promising start from the visitors to punch their ticket to the final. Joao Plata scored twice in the first half to give Toronto FC the lead in the series, but red-hot forward Herculez Gomez responded both times to up his total to 11 goals scored in his las eight games across all competitions.
Gomez's second goal came just before the end of the first half, hitting a right footed shot to the far post past goalkeeper Milos Kocic.
That set the tone for Santos' second-half offensive explosion. Juan Rodriguez converted two penalty kicks in eight minutes to give the hosts a 4-2 lead.
The first spot kick was awarded in the 55th minute following a foul by Julian De Guzman on Cristian Suarez, and the second came after Miguel Angel Aceval handled the ball following a diving header attempt.
Things got worse for Toronto FC in the 63rd when Oribe Peralta got on the end of a pass from Gomez and finished from close range.
Daniel Luduena capped the scoring in stoppage time for Santos, nailing home a shot from 15 yards out.
The second-half meltdown by Toronto was surprising given how it began the match. Toronto FC looked dangerous on offense in a wide-open affair, and were the first to get on the board when Plata knocked in a rebound following a shot from Luis Silva.
Gomez responded at the halfhour mark, but Plata again gave the visitors the lead with a one-timed shot off a pass from Nick Soolsma in the 42nd minute.
Santos then replied through another Gomez finish in first-half stoppage time, paving the way for the Mexican club's offensive explosion in the second half.
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What do you think of Santos' 6-2 win over Toronto? What do you attribute the second-half meltdown to? Hoping Gomez helps Santos to a Champions League final win?
Share your thoughts below.
OK…your point being, what?
Just like TFC, they’ve been bounced out of the CCL.
Hmm…
No matter how we cut it, the Mexican teams have owned MLS on this CCL. Time to regroup.
And yet the end result was the same, so what’s you’re point Vanessa?
We all remember, but a dime-bet would hardly have earned you a fortune — especially when Santos was heavily favored. Dipsh*t.
Wanted to say one more thing. Seattle beat Monterrey in Monterrey with Seattle playing mostly subs.
And they beat Santos in Seattle.
Am I reading the Seattle-Santos recap ?
Just an educated guess really, but I will go out on a limb and say your team gives up four second half goals, they will never go to the next round of CCL.
Brutal.
A failed diving header led to a hand ball? That’s sad.
Mask?
Next year. They are back in the fall playing champions league. If you believe…
LOL
Disagree with that. Outside England, Germany, Spain, and Italy, the top Mexican teams could compete anywhere in Europe. They might struggle with some of the behemoths in France, Portugal, or Holland but they could easily compete with the rest of the table. Heck, there are some lower table squads in Spain who could not compete in the MPD. I can’t speak for the quality of the Russian league because I’ve never watched a match.
MLS would probably fall somewhere around the Danish Superliga in quality of play. Not too far behind but a significant difference.
Did anyone else consider that Toronto has effectively treated the MLS thus far as preseason? Winning the CL would have been much more prestigious than getting results in early MLS games (or winning the MLS Cup for that matter) and they had very poor depth. I haven’t seen Toronto put forth the kind of technical display they showed in the first half last night or that kind of effort in any MLS match thus far. They’ll take some time to recover but my guess is that they’ll easily be in the MLS playoffs come November.
As for last night, Toronto really had the run of play for the first half. Those two stupid penalties inside the box simply killed them. After the second one, resistance became futile and the team simply gave up. Gomez, however, is absolutely on fire right now. We need him on the USMNT ASAP. I’ll definitely be rooting for Santos in the Final.
Henry just got back from the U23s and we got an important game against Montreal on Saturday, we will need Plata to be fit.
Cap him.
Yeah if the all carry bats and bricks with them…
not in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, or France.
Gomez is probably right up there in goals per minute (over the period of his current hot streak) with anyone in the world right now. I kid you not.
+1
I would like to see Chicago get in next year. I think they could do some real damage.
Santos or Monterrey would beat most euro teams. The Concacaf rep will be very strong this season.
Excellent run, but you have to have better depth to deal with injuries. How is Harden playing over Henry. That guy was solid in U-23’s.
And why does Plata only get limited minutes? He is TFC’s most dangerous player.
I think this team will be force once they can fix their defense.
Uh yeah that makes me a “eurosnot” lol when Alex is the one that asked, derrrrrr. He specifically asked about global football. So I responded in kind. You’re a real peach tho.
You say that after an another American team got bounced out by playing bad football?
Yeah comparing concacaf to any euro league is a little bit of a stretch. Doesn’t really compare but love seeing an American in form!
No doubt…You cannot let that happen with the type of homefield advantage Santos has
You would have been sweating before halftime. No game is a lock.
BS. They were strong until Frings and Koevermanns went down. If they fix their defense, they are good as anybody in MLS.
eurosnot
Seattle and TFC don’t have the defensive strength required to beat Santos or Monterrey. LA’s lack of defensive depth showed also.
RSL had the blueprint to beat these kinds of teams. They need to make it back in.
These are fun to look at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011–12_European_Golden_Shoe
Can’t be entirely sure how accurate all the stats are but some interesting names in there.
Lewandowski, that’s his name!
Uhhh really? Ok maybe you’re fishing (some call it trolling but that term is way overused/misused on this site) here? Hahaha I’ll indulge: Edison Cavani, Robin Van Persie, Sergio Aguero, even Clint Dempsey could be (more) considered. God I bet there a billion more options. How about that ‘Gladbach player, Reus I think, or that striker for Dortmund, umm, he’s Polish….ummm….
I haven’t been able to catch many CCL matches but I wonder if Winter’s style just doesn’t work in MLS but does internationally. I guess that doesn’t totally explain LA but they aren’t performing well right now anyway…
Other than Ronaldo and Messi, is there a hotter goalscorer in global football at the moment?
I heard Herculez Gomez woke up one day and shouted, “FLAME ON!” and miraculously it worked.
Seattle actually won the first leg though.
Just like Portsmouth managed to make the FA Cup final the same year they got relegated, Toronto put together a run of form they won’t be able to replicate in MLS.
Herc, Herc, Her-CU-Les!! Go-Mezzz!!! Put those Canadians to the flame!! I Can’t wait for Hercules to suit up and represent the Red, White, & Blue!!
11 goals in 8 games for Gomez. Dude is alight.
TFC hung on longer than Seattle. They’re standing in MLS isn’t representative of their quality. They are at least a mid to upper table team.
Herculez Gomez is class. Should be on the USMNT. If he can get the same service he gets with Santos Laguna.
I think we all took RSL’s run last year for granted. I know I did. Time to go back to earth.
LOL
Still proud of my club. Great run by TFC
I mean this not to dis the ref, but what Toronto conceded.
Soft penalty kicks doomed them.
Well at least Herc gives us norteamericanos something to smile about… Everything else about the tourney is poops right about now…
Remember when I said I would have bet my life savings on Toronto losing.
I should have done so… assuming I could have found a bookie stupid enough
Gomez, Gomez, Gomez!….The guy is on fire!….Hope JK calls him in and not just for a small look, but actually gives him some substantial minutes…
Deja vu. MLS team plays Santos close for 135 minutes; MLS team falls apart in last 45 and loses 7-3 on aggregate; Herculez Gomez says nice things about MLS team on Twitter while Santos (hopefully) backs the money truck up to his house.
Gomez is pretty amazing right now. I’m thankful that an American is the front cover of the CCL competition right now.