BC Pangie

In the previous leg of this CONCACAF Champion’s Cup Quarterfinal, W Connection was able to upset Chivas 2-1. They went into todays match at Chivas with a bit of a defensive mind hoping to hang on for a semi-final berth against D.C. United or C.D. Olimpia. It was a daunting task for W Connection as Chivas’ recent home form has been impeccable; it was a task that proved to difficult in the end for the Trinidad and Tobago side.

Although the first goal didn’t come until the twenty-second minute, Chivas was on the attack dominating the game from the starting whistle. They moved the ball well from side to side making use of the wider aspect of the field, while W Connection couldn’t seem to string more than three or four passes together. The first goal came from a long ball into the box from Adolfo Bautista. An on-rushing Omar Bravo was able to beat the approaching W Connection goalie and chip the ball across the box to a waiting Sergio Santana who slotted home easily into an open net.

Despite W Connection’s lead from the previous leg being nullified by Santana’s goal they didn’t appear to be any more attack minded. They continued to make sloppy passes, and lose possession easily.

In the thirty-sixth minute the referee made an incredibly controversial decision awarding a penalty kick to Chivas. The W Connection goalie, Kerwin Beckles, came off his line to collect an incoming ball. As he jumped to collect it he brought his legs up to protect himself from the oncoming Chivas attacker; inevitably they collided. Although Beckles had full control of the ball when contact was made he was awarded a yellow card, and Chivas was awarded a penalty kick. Beckles quickly redeemed himself blocking a rather poorly taken penalty from Bautista.

Chivas second goal came again from Santana this time only two minutes into the second half. Once again it was a ball across the box this time coming from Diego Martínez who was able to pick out Santana with ease as there wasn’t a W Connection defender with in two yards of him.

The rest of the game continued to see Chivas dominating and W Connection poorly attempting to get back into it. At this point one goal from W Connection and the game would have been back to even on aggregate, however in the seventy-fifth minute Adolfo Bautista wrapped it up for Chivas as Medina supplied the assist. There was nothing tricky about this goal as Medina drove into the box and sent the ball slightly backward to Bautista who was waiting on the six-yard line to tap it into the back of the net.

W Connection really didn’t have any opportunities to speak of. Most chances they had were blasted off target from twenty or more yards out. Chivas deserved this win and look forward to playing D.C. United or C.D. Olimpia in the semi-finals.

W Connection: 3.5 | Chivas: 8

Final Score: W Connection 0 – 3 Chivas
Aggregate Score: W Connection 2 – 4 Chivas

Host: Canada
AFC: Japan, Jordan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic
CAF: Congo, Gambia, Nigeria, Zambia
CONCACAF: Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, United States
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Scotland

It was a disappointing day for Pumas as they controlled the majority of the game, but couldn’t seem to find any real opportunities to pull ahead. The first fifteen minutes saw both sides create some good movement around the opposing eighteens, but it was Cruz Azul who struck in the fifteenth minute. José López took down César Delgado six yards outside of the eighteen yard box. The resulting free kick found the head of Miguel Sabah who nodded past the approaching Pumas Doorman Sergio Bernal. A vain attempt was made to clear the ball from the line but it had clearly crossed the goal-line.

Pumas looked to respond quickly in the eighteenth minute when some good movement upfield led to a out swinging cross from the right side just outside of the six-yard box. This was one of the few times a ball in would find the feet of a Pumas striker, except it was mis-hit and trickled into the arms of the Cruz Azul keeper.

The remainder of the first half saw dominance from the Pumas side as Cruz Azul had very few chances after their first goal. López showed good work to move the ball and take on defenders, but his crosses were usually met with open space or a Cruz Azul defender. Perhaps the best chance came for Pumas just before half time in the forty-fifth minute when yet another cross in found the head of a Pumas striker. The shot crossed back in front of the goal and almost beat Oscar Pérez to his back post, but an astounding save denied Pumas of anything before the half-time whistle.

The second half saw Pumas continue to dominate with more wasted opportunities. One of their better chances came within the first minute of the second half when a ball in found the foot of Ignacio Scocco who put his shot well over the goal.

Pumas continued knocking with crosses in, or set piece corner kicks that tested the goalie well. At least twice Pérez was forced to make reaction saves from near point blank range. However, Perez was also given some room to breath as many of Pumas’ attempts looked like Antonio Sánchez’s attempt in the eighty-third minute as he took a volley with his right foot that sailed just inches over the bar.

All in all, Pumas outplayed Cruz Azul and looked the better team on the day, but it was the early goal from Cruz Azul that would stand to determine the winner.

Pumas: 7/10 | Cruz Azul: 5.5/10

Final Score: Pumas 0 - 1 Cruz Azul

The last of the first leg of the CONCACAF Champion’s Cup Quarterfinals saw Mexican side Pachuca CF take on the underdogs from Guatemala, Deportivo Marquense. Perhaps it was because the game was played at Pachuca’s home stadium, or maybe it’s because Marquense is that much of an underdog, but there was no question as to who should have won this game.

In the end the scoreline favored Pachuca giving them a two goal lead going into the next leg. The first goal came in the thirteenth minute from Damián Ariel Álvarez. Marvin Gabriel Cabrera carried the ball into the right corner and was given space to pick out a crashing Álvarez just outside the six yard box on the left hand side. From there it was an easy finish past the Marquense keeper who really couldn’t do anything to prevent the goal.

The game continued to see Pachuca dominate. Marquense did little to control the ball, and when they would gain possession, the ball was hoofed up field or given away with a sloppy pass. To further on Marquense’s problems no one was moving to support when they had the ball. It was as if they had already condemned themselves to a loss.

Pachuca were unlucky not to slot home at least two more in the first half as they continued to send in beautiful crosses to crashing forwards just outside the six-yard box. In defense of Pachuca, Marquense keeper, Ricardo Trigueño had a phenomenal game making a number of good reaction saves, and stripping the ball off the feet of an oncoming Pachucas striker.

The second goal came in the fifty-eighth minute from an in-swinging corner. It found a Pachuca’s head that then flicked the ball on to the back post for Marvin Gabriel Cabrera who couldn’t do anything but put the ball in the back of the net.

Perhaps Marquense’s best chance came in the ninetieth minute as a ball in to the eighteen found a head and was whipped across the six yard box to find the Pachuca’s keeper, Miguel Ángel Calero, despite an on rushing Marquense striker. Realistically this was Calero’s first difficult save of the game.

If not for some wonderful saves from Trigueño, or a few rued chances by Pachuca, Marquense would stand no chance of reaching the semi-finals when they conclude their quarterfinal on the twenty-eighth of February in Guatemala.

Pachuchas: 7/10 | Marquense: 5/10

Final Score: Pachuca 2 – 0 Marquense