After what has seemed like an eternity, the CONCACAF Champions League finally resumed Tuesday night, as Toluca traveled to Columbus to open the knockout round. Four months ago, when CCL group play was wrapping up, each of these teams was on its way to finishing with the best record in their respective domestic leagues. Toluca finished Apertura 2009 as the best team in the Mexican Primera, but was beaten in the semifinals of the Liguilla playoffs by eventual champion Monterrey. Similarly, Columbus finished the 2009 MLS season as the top team, but was upset in the first round of the playoffs by eventual champion Real Salt Lake. Now, over four months later, Toluca is off to somewhat of a disappointing 2010 season in Mexico (only two wins in nine games), while Columbus is in the midst of preseason training.
Columbus would also come into the game without Chad Marshall, out with a hamstring injury, as well as Frankie Hejduk and Guillermo Barros Schelotto, both forced to sit due to yellow card accumulations. Toluca themselves brought a far from full-strength squad, starting a team made up largely of reserves.
Sinha was one of the few Toluca regulars who appeared against Columbus.
Columbus would start the game looking like the team in mid-season form. The first ten minutes featured great possession from Columbus, as they produced several good chances going forward. The Crew’s best chance came in the 9th minute, when Steven Lenhart broke through one-on-one against Toluca keeper Alfredo Talavera, but his terrible finish left the game scoreless.
Toluca finally got their own offense in gear as the half played on, with Sinha, one of the few Toluca regulars on the field, creating several chances. In the 19th minute, Sinha broke into the box and executed a clinical finish for the 1-0 lead. Just before halftime Toluca would add another, with Antonio Rios hitting a beautiful strike from distance that left Crew keeper William Hesmer absolutely no chance at a save.
In second half, Columbus was active again early. The team was able to create action down the wings, but continued to serve poor crosses into the box, leaving themselves no chance for good scoring opportunities. While the game play on the pitch seemed to hit a lull as the half played on, action after the whistle began to get testy. Referee Courtney Campbell had to separate players several times as the physical confrontations escalated. In the 66th minute, seemingly out of nowhere, Emmanuel Ekpo lobbed a ball into the box for Steven Lenhart. Lenhart played it off his chest, struck it in the air as he turned, and this time beat Talavera with a prefect finish to get Columbus on the scoreboard. Instead of attempting to build on their now one goal lead, Toluca continued to sit back offensively. That would prove a mistake, as in the 84th minute Columbus sub Emilio Renteria fed a ball to Lenhart as he made an excellent run through a gap in the Toluca defense. Lenhart received the ball in the box, and again made a nice finish for the brace.
With the 2-2 final score, Columbus salvaged the tie, but will be hard-pressed to get a result in the second leg. Traveling to Toluca next week, an always difficult place to play, the Crew will be looking for an unlikely win. Toluca will also field a team much closer to full-strength in the return leg, making the Crew’s task that much more difficult. Toluca, though, will be playing a difficult league game against Cruz Azul on Sunday, which may impact the squad chosen for next week. Whatever the squad chosen, though, Toluca will be the overwhelming favorite to advance, with the Crew likely needing a miracle game to come away with the win in Estadio Nemesio Diez next Wednesday.
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