Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore celebrates his goal against Club America during first half CONCACAF Champions League semi-final action in Toronto, on April 3, 2018.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
It may have been a cold, wet night for a soccer game, but Toronto FC and its supporters went home warm and happy.
Sparked once again by their star duo of Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco, the Reds knocked off the powerful Mexican team Club America by a 3-1 margin Tuesday night in the opening game of their CONCACAF Champions League semi-final. The second leg of the two-game total-goals series goes next week in Mexico City and, judging by the hard feelings generated by both teams Wednesday night, it too will be an intense, physical affair.
After Altidore warmed up the fans with a goal shortly before the half expired, the Reds came on strong in the second half. Ashtone Morgan, who started for the Reds instead of midfielder Victor Vazquez, sent the 23,463 fans at BMO Field into a frenzy in the 59th minute when he finished a cross from Auro to put TFC up by two goals.
TFC took a 2-1 lead into the second half with Altidore’s goal coming just as the Reds looked to be hanging on, hoping to get the break unscathed. Club America was pushing hard on the attack, keeping the pressure on the TFC defenders, when the Reds managed to get the ball back.
Giovinco caught the visitors’ back line napping when he took a routine relay and dropped a brilliant pass up the middle to Altidore, who was between two defenders. The big striker quickly turned around the defender on him and then fired the ball into the net from the right side to send the crowd into a frenzy.
Also going into a frenzy were the Club America players, who surrounded referee Henry Bejarano as the half ended. Even though the majority of calls in what was an ill-tempered 45 minutes on the part of both sides went Club America’s way, they loudly let the referee know that was still not enough.
There also appeared to be some trouble in the tunnel under the stands, where both teams walk to their dressing rooms together. Altidore, who was involved in a similar incident with the New York Red Bulls in last year’s MLS playoffs, ran back on the field from the tunnel and headed toward the referee.
There was a heavy security presence this time, and some players had to be separated. But unlike the Red Bulls incident, no cards were issued by the referee.
That was not the case during the game, as Bejarano handed out four yellow cards. Giovinco and Reds teammate Jonathan Osorio each received one, as did CA midfielder Andres Uribe and teammate Guido Rodriguez.
The Reds started the game well enough, playing more of a possession game than they usually do. By the intermission, TFC had a possession mark of 53.2 per cent. But as the half progressed, so did Club America’s aggressiveness. They attacked hard, exposing TFC’s back line of Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta and Gregory Van der Wiel several times.
Also coming in for special attention was TFC midfielder Michael Bradley. He was marked closely and did not have an easy time distributing the ball. This situation was not helped by the absence of Vazquez, one of TFC’s most important players. He has been fighting a lower-back problem and did not start the game along with another key player, defender Chris Mavinga, whose tackling made a crucial difference in the quarter-finals against Tigres UANL.
Going into the game, TFC head coach Greg Vanney expected to see Club America attack in the same manner as its fellow Mexican club Tigres.
Toronto FC beat Mexico's Club America 3-1 Tuesday night, in its CONCACAF Champions League semifinal opening game. TFC coach Greg Vanney says the third goal by defender Ashtone Morgan was “beautiful.”
The Canadian Press
“These teams value the width more than MLS teams, who play a lot more possession through the middle of the field,” Vanney said. “Trying to get the ball wide, get wingers isolated, trying to create opportunities for service, and then they have people who are attacking the box. That’s not the only thing they do, but it’s a big priority.”
But Vanney also warned Club America would “play what the game gives them. I don’t think they’ll come in and just sit back, get out with a result that has a low number on it. My anticipation is they’ll come, try to play, try to create turnovers in advantageous positions, play in the transition, look for moments to be aggressive.”
And that is more or less what happened in the first half as the visitors exploited the open spaces granted them by the TFC defenders. But the early lead went to TFC when Giovinco was knocked down in the penalty box in the ninth minute.
Given the Italian striker’s troubles with penalty kicks, in which goalkeepers who guess Giovinco will go to the left are often rewarded with a save, some observers were expecting the worst. Club América keeper Agustin Marchesin went with the scouting report and dove to his left, but Giovinco drove the ball down the middle and into the net.
But as the half progressed, the Mexican side pressed harder and attacked the box. In the 21st minute, Andres Ibargűen danced around three defenders – Bradley, Moor and Marky Delgado - and buried a high shot to tie the score.
However, Altidore’s goal rallied the Reds, who escaped at halftime with a 2-1 lead and came out strong in the second half with Morgan’s goal providing a cushion.