Toluca, the reigning champions of Mexican soccer, defeated LAFC (Los Angeles FC) of the MLS 4-0 on Wednesday to qualify for the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where they will compete for the title against Mexican side Tigres UANL.
Portugal’s Paulinho, twice, Brazil’s Helinho and Everardo López scored for the Red Devils, who ran roughshod over their opponents in the second half of the match.
Toluca forgave in the first half
The first half saw Toluca searching for the goal they needed to tie the series against LAFC after losing the first leg 2-1, but they lacked punch.
In the 8th minute, on a counter-attack, Korea’s Son Heung-Min set up Gabon’s Denis Bouanga, who fired home.
Goalkeeper Luis García cleared the ball, recovered by Timothy Millman; erratic to miss with an empty net.
The last half hour was dominated by Toluca, who came close to beating French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Marcel Ruiz and Nicolás Castro crashed a pair of balls against the post.
Nico Castro was stopped by a good save from Lloris and Paulino shot wide with a left-footed shot.
Historic victory on the road to the final
The second half began ideally for the Mexicans.
In the second minute on the pitch, Ryan Hollingshead brought down Helinho in the box, who took the penalty perfectly in the 49th minute.
It was the 1-0 that tied the series 2-2.
By scoring on the road, Toluca had a ticket to the final in the bag at the time.
They waited for their opponents to counter-attack and in the 58th minute they extended their lead with a left-footed goal from outside the box by Lopez.
The second half started perfectly for the Mexican side
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In the 86th minute, LAFC’s Ryan Porteaus was sent off for denying Toluca an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, leaving the visitors a man down.
The Devils completed the rout with back-to-back goals from Paulinho.
In the 90+2 minute, when he reached the area and hit the target and two minutes later, a left-footed shot into the corner of the net.
In the final, on May 30, Toluca will host Tigres UANL.
Technical data
4. Toluca: Luis García; Everardo López, Bruno Méndez, Mauricio Isaís (Diego Barbosa m.74), Santiago Simón, Jesús Angulo (Pavel Pérez m.82); Franco Romero, Marcel Ruiz, Nicolás Castro (Antonio Briseño 90+2); Paulinho, Helinho (Fernando Arce m,82). Coach: Antonio Mohamed.
0. Los Angeles FC: Hugo Lloris; Nkosi Tafari, Aaron Long (Jeremy Ebobisse m.78), Ryan Porteaous; Mark Delgado, Mathieu Choiniere (Stephen Eustáquio m.59), Jacob Shaffelburg (Ryan Hollinshead m.46), Sergi Palencia (Artem Smoliakov m.76), Denis Bouanga; Seon Heung Min, Timothy Tillman (David Martinez m.59). Coach: Marc Dos Santos.
Goals: 1-0, 49th minute: Helinho; 2-0, 58th minute: Everardo López; 3-0, 90+2nd minute: Paulinho; 4-0, 90+4th minute: Paulinho.
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderón, of Costa Rica. He sent off Porteaous and cautioned Nicolás Castro.
Incidents: Second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals between Toluca and LAFC played at the Nemesio Diez stadium in Toluca, central Mexico, at 2,600 meters above sea level.
With information from EFE
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