Well I wasn't able to liveblog all of Wednesday's matches, so I'm making it up by making live updates of tonight's games. Enjoy.
San Juan Jabloteh 0-1 Toluca F
Real España 1-0 W Connection F
Commentary after the jump.
The second half wasn't as good as the first, but Christian Martínez's goal was enough for Real España as they win by the minimum over T&T's W Connection. And that's it for Matchday 1 of the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League. Tonight wasn't a good night for the Trinidadian clubs, but their opponents did just enough -- and no more -- to secure their victories. Next week is Matchday 2. See you on my featured day (to be announced later).
2056: FULL TIME Real España 1-0 W Connection
2055: Hard run by Faria across the field into the Real penalty area, but he has no support and is dispossessed by Palacios.
2054: It hasn't been Carlos Pavón's best night, but I am impressed that he's been out there all 90+ minutes. He looks absolutely drenched.
2053: Into stoppage time. Three minutes left.
2050: Woww!! Cross from the right by Real, and WConn's Pereira heads it off his own post! The rebound comes down to the same Real España player, whose header is saved by Philip off the post! Finally deflected away for a corner!
2046: Into the final ten minutes at San Pedro Sula.
2042: And there was that string of possession I was talking about. Ball finds its way to Toussaint at the top of the area, and the shot is deflected wide for a corner.
2040: Real España's quality has dipped noticeably in the second half. W Connection could snatch an equalizer if they string together some possession.
2025: Again Pavón has a chance to score Real's second. First by a header, then by his right foot, both efforts are blocked by the brave WConn central defender.
2021: A bit of controversy: Pavón's shot on goal in the box was knocked down by the arm of a W Connection player (Joseph), but no penalty called. Replay showed that the ball played the hand, not the other way around. Pavón didn't even appeal for a penalty.
2019: Real have had chances to score their second but have not been able to convert. WConn have had at best a half-chance or two.
2008: Second half now underway.
The Hondurans take a deserved lead into the dressing rooms, thanks to a goal by man-of-the-match (up to now) Christian Martínez.
1953: HALF TIME Real España 1-0 W Connection
1945: Christian Martínez looks like the best player on the field in the first half.
1944: Real's defenders are able to recover quickly when they lose possession, and the Honduran side are able to put at least six players behind the ball when on defense.
1943: Another corner kick is headed away by Pereira, saving a clear shot at goal.
1942: Looks like Real are getting their groove back. Great collective play by Real, Pavón frees Palacios on the left, and his cross is just deflected away by WConn's central defender Pereira in front of C Martínez.
1939: Real are still dominating, but they're getting sloppy.
1932: Real are dominating the match, but that doesn't mean that W Connection don't have a few chances. Good work by W Connection's Brazilian midfielder on the left and the cross finds Williams, but Macías is there to collect the ball.
1920: Ouch: The Galavision commentator mentioned that W Connection defeated the NY Red Bulls in the preliminary round, "but there's nothing prestigious about that result this season", he added.
1917: GOAL Real España 1-0 W Connection (11')
Great center by Hendry Martínez, Carlos Pavón flubs the ball as it rolls under him, but Christián Martínez is there to sweep the ball home from the center of the penalty area.
1914: The two Martínez on the right have shown some promising play. I can see why he has they received a national team call up. Now I need to figure out which is which!
1908: The match kicked off during the commercial break! Real win the ball in midfield and go on the break. Junior gets a through ball from the right, but he can't get his favored foot on the ball in time to make a shot.
1902: And now it's time for the second match of the doubleheader, as Honduras' Real España host Trinidad's W Connection. Do Real still have enough goals left in them after their last two games?
Toluca becomes the first team to win away in the Champions League, and they did it without breaking much of a sweat against T&T's Jabloteh. One goal was more than enough.
1859: FULL TIME San Juan Jabloteh 0-1 Toluca
1857: Toluca's not really trying anymore. Jabloteh's defenders are like statues in the area, and with a little more effort by Zinha he could have scored. Oh yes, we're well into stoppage time now.
1854: Meanwhile, Real España and W Connection are making final warmups on the pitch in San Pedro Sula.
1853: Great ball by Zinha to set Marín free but the Jabloteh right back closes down nicely. Good play on both sides.
1852: No midfield presence by Jabloteh. At all.
1848: That should have been 2-0. Nice work by Toluca on both flanks stretches out the Jabloteh defense, and the ball finds its way to Marín, but Marín, alone in the center of the area, fires...over the crossbar!!
1845: Ten minutes to go now. The match appears to match the atmosphere in the stands.
1843: The atmosphere at the stadium is absolutely nonexistent, which probably means that no one is there. But you never can tell in the Caribbean.
1838: Now home. Toluca lead Jabloteh 1-0 in Trinidad & Tobago, on a goal by Raúl Nava six minutes in.
Comments