Guadalajara one step away from the title

Toronto was looking to be the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League when they hosted Chivas Guadalajara in the first leg of the final. Toronto was unbeaten at home and was looking for a good result in snowy Toronto before heading to Guadalajara.
But it took only two minutes for Chivas to take the lead on a goal by Rodolfo Pizarro, and they were looking the better team until Jonathan Osorio equalized for the home team. Toronto were unlucky and some great saves by Miguel Jimenez kept the Canadians from taking the lead before halftime. In the second half Chivas seemed in good control, and took the lead through a great free kick strike by Alan Pulido, and in the end could have scored more goals against a Toronto side that seemed to have given up.
With 90 more minutes left, Toronto should not give up. But there is no doubt that they will be against all odds to take the title in Guadalajara, so it is likely that the Concacaf Champions League will remain in Mexico, but this time with a Chivas side that has not won since 1962.

Chivas-Toronto in the final

Chivas Guadalajara held on heroically to a 0-0 against New York Red Bulls, and following their 1-0 home victory made it to the CONCACAF Champions League final. There, they will face Toronto FC, who tied Club America 1-1. Their victory was never in doubt following their 3-1 home win, and when they went ahead 0-1 at the Estadio Azteca.
Chivas Guadalajara only won the highest honour in CONCACAF in 1962, and reached their last final in 2007. Given their poor season, this final will be very important for the Mexican side.
Last time a non-Mexican side won the tournament was in 2005 (Saprissa), and the last time an MLS side won was in 2000 (LA Galaxy). A Canadian side has never won the tournament before, so this will likely be a historical final: Toronto FC are surely favourites, having been solid throughout the tournament, while Chivas have struggled through the tournament and the season. The final is to be played over two legs, and here Chivas has a slight advantage as they will play the second leg at home.

MLS-Liga MX semifinals

As expected, America defeated Tauro, and will be facing Toronto FC in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. In the meantime, the other semifinal did not go well for the MLS side Seattle Sounders, who went out squarely to defend their 1-0 lead from the first match against Chivas Guadalajara. It was not nice to watch, but seemed to be working until five minutes into the second half when Oswaldo Alanis brought Chivas ahead. The US side had no response against their American counterparts who just continued attacking, and ended up winning a not too wide 3-0 victory. The 3-0 goal by the young Jose de Jesus Godinez muts be mentioned as an outstanding heal-goal.
Chivas will face New York Red Bulls, who are probably slight favourities, but should not lean back and defend as lazily as Seattle Sounders did.  I have not been impressed about Seattle who, if they really intend to be a big side, should be able to do better against a Chivas side that is in deep crisis in the Mexican league.
The final of the CONCACAF Champions league could potentially be an MLS-Liga MX final or a purely MLS final. Or, perhaps most interestingly, would be a Superclasico final between America and Chivas!

MLS-Liga MX 2-0

The first of four Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals were decided today, and they were two matches between MLS sides New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC, and Liga MX sides Tijuana and Tigres UANL, respectively.
New York Red Bulls had a 0-2 away advantage after a hard-fought and lucky away win. Tijuana attacked from the start, and even went ahead 0-1, but the New Yorkers were unforgiving in the counter-attack and won 3-1, taking the first semifinal spot for MLS. Toronto were 2-1 ahead before going to "El Volcan" in Nueva Leon. Toronto defended their lead, but were strong in counter-attack as Tigres pushed more and more. In the end Tigres won 3-2, but this was not enough, and Toronto are in the semifinals, second MLS team.
Tomorrow Seattle Sounders, holding a 1-0 lead, are likely to become the third MLS team against a Chivas Guadalajara side that is playing awful. This will mean that there are three MLS sides in the semifinals, and one Mexican, as America are likely to progress from their 4-0 lead against Tauro, from Panama.
America are surely a strong side, but after having watched the MLS sides, I would put money on this being the first year that MLS shows that it is better than the Mexican League.

Welcome to Tijuana

Club Tijuana hosted New York Red Bulls in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. A good result for the home team was crucial, but the New Yorkers were welcomed in Tijuana and took everything back to the USA on their trip to the other side of the Rio Grande. NY Red Bulls were not that impressive, but efficient: Bradley Wright-Phillips scored both goals in what were almost the only chances they created, but most impressive of all was the NY goalkeeper Luis Robles, who, when Tijuana were attacking the most, came up with some incredible saves.
Tijuana supposedly has one of the best defenses in the Mexican League, but will need not just that, but also to score against Robles in New York. Expect NY Red Bulls in the semifinals, where they will face the winner of Chivas Guadalajara-Seattle Sounders.

CONCACAF Champions League play-offs

The CONCACAF Champions League has reached the round of 16, and tonight the team from El Salvador, Santa Tecla, was hoping to make an upset against the MLS side Seattle Sounders after winning 2-1 in El Salvador. After a good first half, the Salvadoreans fell apart deep into the second half, and lost 4-0.
Very disappointing but at the same time it was a good show against an MLS side which, as all MLS sides, think they are much better than they are...
Seattle Sounders will face Chivas Guadalajara in the quarterfinals. Chivas are in a deep crisis in the Mexican League; they are unlikely to make the play-offs and in reality Champions League are their only hope for a title. While this could be the time for Sounders to be facing a Chivas side in crisis, one has to consider the absolute dominance by Mexican teams in the CONCACAF Champions League: of the four Mexican sides participating, all have made it to the quarterfinals. Since the tournament was introduced in 2008, it has been won by Mexican sides every single year. In fact, in all but two years (2010 and 2015) the final has been between Mexican sides. In 2016, all four semi-finalists were Mexican sides. This just illustrates that the Mexican League remains far superior to any league in the CONCACAF region, including the MLS, and when MLS sides compare themselves to other sides, they should look to smaller leagues than the Mexican, which is certainly the much stronger than the MLS.
The coming quarterfinals of the tournament will see the following clashes:

• Club America-Tauro
• Toronto FC-Tigres UANL
• Tijuana-New York Red Bulls
• Seattle Sounders-Guadalajara

I hope particularly Tigres UANL through, after the fantastic final I watched them play in December last year. I also hope Chivas destroy Seattle, avenging Santa Tecla, and saving their poor season.