Wary TFC braces for final storm
Mexican challengers struggling in league play heading into first leg
Toronto FC will be looking for its third straight win over a Mexican team as it enters the CONCACAF Champions League final against Chivas (C.D.) Guadalajara, arguably the easiest of the Reds’ opponents since the first round.
Tigres UNAL, beaten by Toronto in the quarterfinals, currently sits fourth in Mexico’s Liga MX.
Club America, bested by the Reds in the semis, ranks third.
Chivas, in town for Tuesday night’s first leg of the two-game final, is wallowing in 16th place out of 18 teams.
TFC coach Greg Vanney sees how the argument could be made based on league play — but doesn’t buy it.
“You’ve got two teams that are going to set themselves up to try to win this and both teams are capable, because both teams have players who can score goals and will have (detailed) defensive plans,” he said recently. “When you get into games like this, I don’t buy into the favourites stuff. I think you have to go out and execute and make plays on both ends and give yourselves the best opportunity to win.”
Chivas, which won its first and only CONCACAF title in 1962, is one of the biggest clubs in Mexico — a founding member of Liga MX’s top division and one of just two teams never to be relegated. While this is just their second appearance in the modern era of CONCACAF’s Champions League, Mexican sides have won the last nine crowns.
“They’re a big club with a lot of pride,” Vanney said. “That was the same thing we said about Club America — they have a lot of pride and are very popular in their country. They’re going to come out fighting, no matter what. We have to be ready for that.”
Getting ready for the weather is another matter. After Toronto spent the weekend being pelted by rain, ice and snow, the forecast for Tuesday’s 8:15 p.m. kickoff is 3C and cloudy, with a 40-per-cent chance of precipitation.
Vanney said he doesn’t expect the weather to be a major factor, with the BMO Field grass protected from the elements by a tarp in recent days, but a soft surface could affect tactics.
“I think both teams will see when we get out there how the pitch is playing and if there’s anything different,” he said Monday. “I think you have to be smart and you have to play to the conditions at times, but at the same time we have to play within the vision of what is going to give us the best chance to play the game. If the conditions are such that we have to alter that then we will, but right now there’s nothing that indicates that we need to do so.”
Practical questions aside, the magnitude of the challenge — setting out to become the first Major League Soccer team to win this tournament — is not lost on the Reds.
“This group has been very motivated about this whole idea of just being different than anyone who has come before them,” Vanney said. “This is one more thing that has not been accomplished by anyone in MLS. To be the first is our objective.”
Midfielder Jonathan Osorio agrees.
“It’s huge to be part of the first team that’s being the first to do so (many) things,” he said.