HexagonalBlog

Guille's farewell

I'm back from my travels, and I expect to be here for at least a month before I have to go on the road again. 

Today is Guillermo Barros Schelotto's final appearance in Boca Juniors before he leaves for the Columbus Crew.  There will be special presentations by the club and Schelotto will give a short farewell speech (the only other Boca player to do that was Maradona).  All of this is well deserved, as Schelotto has been an icon at the club for so long and has symbolized everything associated with Boca Juniors -- very much like Enzo Francescoli at River Plate.

You can catch the match on Fox Sports en Español and Fox Soccer Channel, but FSC is also broadcasting the Minuto Cero preview show.  Lots of great Guille highlights throughout the years!

UPDATE: Schelotto is on the field now, waving to the Bombonera crowd from the center of the field.  Lots of streamers from the opposite ends of the stadium, and supporters chanting "Guille!  Guille!  Guille!"  It's quite an emotional scene.  And he's been given a gift from the club management - a plaque and a very nice gold watch.

There's also an article in Olé that recaps Guillermo's final week with the club.  The title is "La 7 no se mancha" (The number 7 isn't dishonored), which is a reference to both Schelotto's famous #7 shirt and a famous line that Maradona uttered in his farewell speech six years ago.

UPDATE #2: The match against Racing Club ended 2-2; Schelotto did not play.  He is to arrive in Columbus with his family this week and is expected to play his first match in the Crew uniform against the Kansas City Wizards.

2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup: Where we stand

Here's a summary of where we are in the Champions' Cup.  I'll keep bumping this up to the top of the page until the tournament has concluded.

Current phase of tournament is in bold red lettering.  Home team in the first leg is listed first, and their score is listed first for both legs.  Aggregate goals in home-and-away series, no away goals, 30-minute extra time if tied on aggregate after 90 minutes of second leg and penalties if necessary.  Series winner is underlined.

QUARTERFINALS

QF1: W Connection FC 2-4 CD Guadalajara (2:1, 0:3)
QF2: Puntarenas FC 1-2 Houston Dynamo (1:0, 0:2)
QF3: CD Olimpia 3-7 DC United (1:4, 2:3)
QF4: Pachuca CF 3-0 Deportivo Marquense (2:0, 1:0)

SEMIFINALS

SF1: DC United 2-3 CD Guadalajara (1:1, 1:2)
SF2: Houston Dynamo 4-5 Pachuca CF (2:0, 2:5 aet)

FINALS

CD Guadalajara 2-2 Pachuca CF (2:2, 0:0 aet, 6:7 pen)

Pachuca CF are the 2007 CONCACAF Club Champions

Congratulations to Pachuca

Congratulations to Pachuca, the new champions of North America.  It's well-deserved, even if it took penalties (7-6!) to achieve it.

Live updates of final doubtful

I have an early morning flight tomorrow, so I doubt that I'll be able to liveblog Pachuca-Chivas.  I might be able to post my halftime observations (if anyone cares), but I'm sure I'll even have time to do that.  If you wish, there are some threads at BigSoccer.com that will post running updates of the match.

2nd leg preview, Champions' Cup final

Pachuca vs. Guadalajara (25 April, 20:30 hrs)
Referee: Armando Archundia (Mexico)

This year's edition of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup reaches its climax in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, where Pachuca and Guadalajara resume the series after a back-and-forth 2-2 draw in Guadalajara last week.  The winner goes to the Club World Cup; the loser, to the Copa Sudamericana.  As far as Pachuca is concerned, they want to explore uncharted territory in Japan, while Chivas want to return to CONCACAF's summit for the first time in 45 years.  Pachuca is the only side without their full compliment of players.  Mosquera picked up a second yellow card last week and won't play tonight, and central defender Marco Pérez picked up an injury last weekend and is questionable.  Aside from that, both sides have their most powerful attacking corps possible and both will play a 4-3-3 (typical for Chivas, but not so for Pachuca).

One interesting item in the last few days has been the wave of Chivas supporters converging on Hidalgo state from Mexico City (and other parts of the country).  Could it be a split crowd tonight?  Chivas will need the support in the stands to will them on -- on paper it looks like Pachuca have a slight edge, but on the field anything can happen.

Prediction:  Pachuca win 2-1 and advance to Club World Cup. 

Liveblogging Chivas-Pachuca

I got back home at around 7pm today, and after some rest I'm ready to liveblog the final. 

• The first fifteen minutes were favorable to Chivas, and they had a Bravo penalty appeal turned down, but Pachuca was starting to have more of a say.  Just as I had written that, Chitiva makes a blazing counterattack on the right side, and lays a well-weighted ball for Juan Carlos Cacho to float over the 'keeper.   Another away goal for Pachuca, and they lead 1-0.
• Even though Pachuca were starting to get into the game, that goal was still against the run of play.
• Looking at the replay, Chitiva completely outran two covering defenders for that ball.  Slack defending on the part of Chivas, but Chitiva is a dangerous winger.
• TV is showing police in riot gear surrounding the sector of Pachuca supporters in the stands.  A fight between supporters of both sides?  Hard to tell right now.
• 32': The pendulum swung to Pachuca on that goal, but they are starting to act as if they are the better team.
• 37': Finally Chivas create a dangerous opportunity.  A Tuzo defensive mixup allows Morales into the area, but he chooses to cross instead of shoot and the cross goes wide.
• A little reminder:  NO AWAY GOALS!  That being said, it Pachuca manages to win it will be very difficult for Chivas to come back in Estadio Hidalgo.
• 44': Now Chivas are back in it!  It started with Bofo Bautista in the back, who makes a pass down the right side to Bravo, who makes a 2-on-1 counter at full speed from the halfway line, cuts inside, and fires a curling shot past Calero into the net.  A sensational goal!!!  Chivas 1-1 Pachuca!
• That goal by Bravo has really changed the complexion of the series, and will definitely ease the pressure on Chivas going into the second half.
• Halftime.  Chivas and Pachuca are tied 1-1.  Chivas started well, but the match has been a  battle of individual efforts - Chitiva's blazing run that set up Cacho's score, and a fantastic run and curling shot by Bravo.  The match still hasn't taken on much of a rhythm.  Nevertheless, game on!
• Second half.  Once again, Chivas look better out of the gate.
• 55': End-to-end action from both teams!  Bautista's Calero's effort was more dangerous; Calero barely tipped that ball over the bar.
• I haven't said anything about the crowd.  It seems that the lower level is full.  Didn't look that way at the beginning.
• 60': Watching this match, you have to think there are still some goals left in it...
• 63': Mejía of Chivas receives a yellow card.  The ensuing free kick is deflected by Mejía for a corner, but the corner is not very good and cleared away.
• 66': A superb interchange on the left flank between Morales and Pineda splits open the Pachuca defense and Bravo taps in to give Chivas a 2-1 lead.  I talked about individualities in the first half, now you see the importance of team play.
• Chivas earned that goal, and have earned the lead in this game.
• 76': Pachuca have just made their last substitution (Chitiva left, and I didn't see who took his place).  Chivas have yet to make one.  Looks like Chitiva was really dragging; that's a big blow for Pachuca because he was so influential on the field.
• 79': Mosquera (Pachuca) shown a yellow card.  And another yellow card to Pinto (Pachuca) for dissent (my guess).
• 82': Out of nowhere, totally against the momentum, Pachuca score!!  The goal was actually a fine team effort, Cabrera working his way in the box to fire the ball past the far post.  It's 2-2!!
• Now the momentum swings back to Pachuca.  A draw greatly benefits them.
• 88': Ohhh, Chivas avoided a huge dagger.  Pachuca had the ball and two men behind the defenders, but the final pass from Landín to Rodríguez was whistled off for offside.  But was it?  It was very close!
• 90'+2: Pachuca are finishing the stronger of the two sides.  They're on the verge of getting what they wanted in this tie.
• Christopher Sullivan just made the observation that the Chivas bench is acting as if the 2-2 draw is a loss.  Against a side of the quality of Pachuca, this match is a loss.
• 90'+3: One last rush upfield by Medina, taking on the Pachuca defense, but his effort is smothered by the defenders.
• Fulltime.  Chivas 2-2 Pachuca.  Advantage to Pachuca as we conclude the Champions' Cup in the state of Hidalgo in a week's time. 

VT

Guille presser tomorrow

This report from Argentina says that Boca Juniors' Guillermo Barros Schelotto will announce that he is leaving the club.  The press down there is continuing to say that he is going to the Columbus Crew, and there are some sources within the MLS club saying that it might actually happen.  Could he really be here as early as Thursday?

One juicy little tidbit in that Olé story had fellow Boca striker Martín Palermo possibly joining Schelotto in Columbus.  That would have been dope, as the kids say, but Boca's VP said that Palermo would continue with the club.

I won't be able to blog the press conference tomorrow, unless I find a computer at my hotel tomorrow night.

UPDATE: Here is confirmation from CNNSI (Hat tip MLS Underground).

I may liveblog on Wednesday

I am on the road tomorrow and Wednesday, but I return in the early evening (around 7pm CDT).  If I don't have other engagements I might liveblog the final.  Watch this space.

First Leg Preview, CCC Final

Guadalajara vs. Pachuca (18 April, 20:35 hrs)
Referee: Germán Arredondo (Mexico)

For the fourth time in the history of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, and for the second year in a row, both finalists are from Mexico.  Both teams, in addition to winning the last two League tournaments, are also the top two teams in the current Clausura tournament.   For all of their success in Mexican competitions, Guadalajara have only won once in the Champions' Cup (the first competition in 1962).  Last year's Apertura championship was their first triumph in the Mexican league in ten years.  Pachuca's success has been more recent -- their first Mexican league championship in the professional era was in 1999 -- but since that moment they have established themselves as not only one of the best clubs in Mexican soccer, but as one of the best in the Americas.   Both clubs have achieved success through different means -- Guadalajara through total reliance on Mexican players, Pachuca through stable directorship, shrewd purchases on the transfer market, and effective youth development schemes.

It looks like both sides will have their full compliment of players for this game, which is fortunate for neutral observers.  Both teams have very dynamic and dangerous strikers and midfielders, such as Christián Giménez, Juan Cacho and Luís Landín for Pachuca, and Omar Bravo, Alberto Medina and Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista for Chivas.  Pachuca are the more dangerous counterattacking side, and they have demonstrated time and again their ability to obtain impressive results on the road (their Copa Sudamericana conquest last year featured at least three away wins).  I'm not sure whether the game will turn out to be tight or wide-open, but I am sure that Guadalajara will need a win.  Against this Tuzos side that's going to be a tall order even at home.

Prediction: Pachuca win 1-0.