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All season, Toluca said they were focused on the Concacaf Champions Cup. That focus paid off.
The Diablos Rojos won a seven-round penalty shootout to win the Concacaf Champions Cup final over Tigres after the 90 minutes finished scoreless and both teams scored once in extra time.
It's the third continental championship Toluca has won – the first since 2003 – and one that also qualifies the central Mexico club for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Toluca converted the first four shots of the penalty shootout, and midfielder Franco Romero stepped to the spot with a chance to clinch the title. But Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman dove to his left to stop the shot and send the shootout into sudden death.
It was Guzman's counterpart, Toluca shot-stopper Luis Garcia who ended up as the hero, stopping Juan Jose Purata's effort and sending the Estadio Nemesio Diez into ecstasy.
The teams weren't able to score in regular time despite a lively game that saw more than 20 shots, seven of them on target, from each team. Toluca was stronger in the first half, closing the first 45 minutes with a breakaway on which Jesus Angulo needed just a slight touch to open the scoring but instead saw Tigres center back Joaquim recover to poke it out for a corner kick.
The second half belonged to Tigres, with the team certain it would score in the 79th minute when Rômulo Zwarg's header from a corner kick headed for goal, but Garcia was able to dive and make the save. The rebound fell to Andre-Pierre Gignac, but Garcia was able to kick out a foot and stop the Frenchman's effort.
The Mexcan squads then traded goals in extra time, with Jorge Diaz finding the ball in the box, turning and firing past Guzman, and Toluca putting a hand on the trophy.
But the hand was ripped off when Tigres midfielder Juan Brunetta's free kick found the head of center back Joaquim for a headed equalizer.
In addition to the frustration of losing the match, Tigres had a pair of additional grey marks. First, was the exit of Marcelo Flores, who was named to Canada's World Cup roster on Friday, May 29 but appeared to suffer a serious knee injury and had to be taken out of the match – putting his status for the tournament at risk.
Second was sending Gignac off with a defeat. The club legend won't return to the team after more than a decade suiting up for the club, finishing his tenure with five league titles and the 2020 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Instead of adding a second international trophy, it's Toluca winning its third, capping a year in which they went back-to-back winning the Liga MX short tournaments and now have added a CCC title.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Toluca wins Concacaf Champions Cup, books 2029 Club World Cup place
Continue reading...
The Diablos Rojos won a seven-round penalty shootout to win the Concacaf Champions Cup final over Tigres after the 90 minutes finished scoreless and both teams scored once in extra time.
It's the third continental championship Toluca has won – the first since 2003 – and one that also qualifies the central Mexico club for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Toluca converted the first four shots of the penalty shootout, and midfielder Franco Romero stepped to the spot with a chance to clinch the title. But Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman dove to his left to stop the shot and send the shootout into sudden death.
It was Guzman's counterpart, Toluca shot-stopper Luis Garcia who ended up as the hero, stopping Juan Jose Purata's effort and sending the Estadio Nemesio Diez into ecstasy.
The teams weren't able to score in regular time despite a lively game that saw more than 20 shots, seven of them on target, from each team. Toluca was stronger in the first half, closing the first 45 minutes with a breakaway on which Jesus Angulo needed just a slight touch to open the scoring but instead saw Tigres center back Joaquim recover to poke it out for a corner kick.
The second half belonged to Tigres, with the team certain it would score in the 79th minute when Rômulo Zwarg's header from a corner kick headed for goal, but Garcia was able to dive and make the save. The rebound fell to Andre-Pierre Gignac, but Garcia was able to kick out a foot and stop the Frenchman's effort.
The Mexcan squads then traded goals in extra time, with Jorge Diaz finding the ball in the box, turning and firing past Guzman, and Toluca putting a hand on the trophy.
But the hand was ripped off when Tigres midfielder Juan Brunetta's free kick found the head of center back Joaquim for a headed equalizer.
In addition to the frustration of losing the match, Tigres had a pair of additional grey marks. First, was the exit of Marcelo Flores, who was named to Canada's World Cup roster on Friday, May 29 but appeared to suffer a serious knee injury and had to be taken out of the match – putting his status for the tournament at risk.
Second was sending Gignac off with a defeat. The club legend won't return to the team after more than a decade suiting up for the club, finishing his tenure with five league titles and the 2020 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Instead of adding a second international trophy, it's Toluca winning its third, capping a year in which they went back-to-back winning the Liga MX short tournaments and now have added a CCC title.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Toluca wins Concacaf Champions Cup, books 2029 Club World Cup place
Continue reading...
