Mexican club Pachuca reached the FIFA Club World Cup as CONCACAF champions in consecutive years in 2007 and 2008.
On Wednesday night, los Tuzos can get one step closer to a third trip in four years to the world championship for clubs. They host Mexican rivals Toluca in a CONCACAF Champions League semifinal second leg (8 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel).
The team that advances will meet fellow Mexicans Cruz Azul for the right to play in the 2010 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates next December.
Toluca and Pachuca's first leg at Estadio Nemesio Díez ended in a 1-1 draw. By virtue of their away goal, Pachuca can move on with a victory or a 0-0 tie on Wednesday night at Estadio Hidalgo. Regardless, the club won't be taking any chances.
“We can’t play it safe with any of our players,” Pachuca head coach Guillermo Rivarola told Mexican daily Record. “We need the players who are in best form to play because all our games are important.”
Rivarola, who was recently on the hot seat after a six-match winless streak in league play, has now led Pachuca to four straight games in all competitions without a loss. Pachuca are a team rejuvenated.
American midfielder José Francisco Torres is expected to start at center-mid for Pachuca on Wednesday. Torres started in the first leg in Toluca where the Tuzos had a 1-0 road lead and the best scoring chances in a match that Pachuca’s Rivarola called “the perfect game.”
However, nine-man Toluca battled back to equalize with just 12 minutes remaining. It was a sign of the fighting spirit of the Diablos Rojos, who have three straight wins in league play, including a 5-0 pasting of Estudiantes Tecos last weekend.
“Toluca is a team that battles and plays well,” Pachuca’s Argentine winger Damién Álvarez told Record. “You can’t give them spaces because they’ll make you pay. We need to remain concentrated and continue to play as we have of late. Our team has played some good football.”
These two teams will have another showdown looming on April 17, once again at the Estadio Hidalgo. This will represent the second to last match of the Mexican league regular season and will surely carry playoff implications.
