Liveblog 2nd leg of CCC semifinal #1

First of all, I made a mistake in my post last night.  I thought the Saprissa-Houston match would start at about the same time as DCU-Pachuca, but I misread the starting times (which are in local time).  And I'm still getting used to Arizona not having daylight savings time, so I missed the first half of the first semifinal.

As for the game, at the 50 minute mark DC United and Pachuca are tied 0-0.  That is not at all a good result for United, and the series is definitely slipping away from them.  And while I was writing the opening paragraph, Pachuca had a goal disallowed for offside (a dubious call in my opinion) and Wells had to tip a headed free kick over the bar.  United's defense is getting stretched right now, and Pachuca are enjoying a spell of possession.

• So Emilio had two chances to score and missed them both?  Not good.
• 54': Gallardo sends Fred into the box on the left side, he leans back, tumbles to the ground with a Pachuca player, but no penalty.
• United are getting more goal scoring opportunities, but if they can't convert it really means nothing.
• 57': Cacho misses a header wide.  Was that Giménez on the cross?
• 58':  Pachuca substitution.  Damián Alvarez for Andrés Chitiva.
• 60':  DCU substitution. Marc Burch for Santino Quaranta.
• 64':  For a moment I thought Marc Burch was too slow, but he sends a pinpoint cross to Emilio that he snaps down low, but Calero is equal to the task with a low diving save to his right.  Great cross, great header, great save.
• I believe there was a DCU substitution before the corner: Franco Niell for Devon MacTavish.
• I mentioned DCU not finishing their chances...but Pachuca haven't either.  On two occasions Alvarez and Cacho caught DCU on the break,
• 78': GOAL Pachuca.  Gallardo misses a ball rolled to him from the top of the area and Pachuca go on the break again on the left.  The action goes to the center of the field and then back to Damián Álvarez, who makes no mistake. DC United 0-1 Pachuca, and it's curtains for DC United.
• 78': DCU substitution.  Rod Dyachenko for Jaime Moreno.
• 79': Pachuca substitution.  José Torres for Christián Giménez.
• Pachuca have torn apart United's wing-backs, in both matches this series.  And until MLS clubs can produce strikers who can finish consistently, they will continue to fall short against stronger opposition.
• 85':  GOAL DC United.  Rod Dyachenko receives a good quality cross from Fred on the right, he's well positioned and fires a shot into the far corner of the net.  DC United 1-1 Pachuca, but it's getting a bit late.
• DCU is more active, but let's face it -- there are three minutes left.  Nevertheless they keep battling and get a corner.  Alas, it's whistled dead for a foul in the box, and that's about it.
• 90':  GOAL DC United! A long high ball is received by Peralta on the left, Fred receives it, and drops it back to Niell who shoots it in the far corner.  DC United 2-1 Pachuca, and now only one more goal will tie the series. 
• Just two minutes of injury time, and we're already a minute into it.
• Unfortunately United couldn't get possession after the Niell goal, and...

Full time.  DC United 2-1 Pachuca, and Pachuca advances to the final 3-2 on aggregate. 

It was a brave effort with a dramatic finish, but if United had been able to get that kind of performance earlier on they might have won.  In the end, this series comes about three months too soon for Tom Soehn's squad.  Pachuca's through to yet another international final, and they will be the favorites against the Houston-Saprissa winner.