HexagonalBlog

Press clippings from the CCC final

Because of the May Day holiday no new editions of the Latin American newspapers are online.  So press reaction to Pachuca's victory had to wait for Friday.  Next year's CONCACAF Champions League final will conclude on 30 April, so we'll have the same situation again.  CONCACAF take note.

In Mexico you can find local press reaction in El Sol del Hidalgo, but the best post-match coverage is in the sports dailies like Medio Tiempo and ESTO.  ESTO has an interview with Pachuca midfielder Gabriel Caballero, who now has won 10 titles in his career (9 with Pachuca), and some other short reports on the post-match atmosphere in the Pachuca camp.  Any celebration of the Champions Cup was short and quickly replaced by preparations for their crunch match against UNAM on Sunday. 

From the Saprissa perspective, recriminations are all around.  Coach Jeaustin Campos defended his strategy in the second leg while club owner Jorge Vergara says that the finals defeat is a signal to clean house.  It's a curious thing to say regarding a club that is poised to win both of the domestic tournaments this season, but Vergara wants Saprissa to be built for the Champions League as well.

2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: Where we stand

Now that the Champions' Cup has concluded, here's a summary of the tournament results.

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 in bold lettering.

QUARTERFINALS

QF1: CD Motagua 0-1 Pachuca CF (0:0, 0:1)
QF2: Harbour View FC 1-6 DC United (1:1, 0:5)
QF3: Atlante FC 2-4 CD Saprissa (2:1, 0:3)
QF4: CSD Municipal 1-3 Houston Dynamo (0:0, 1:3)

SEMIFINALS

SF1: Pachuca CF 3-2 DC United (2:0, 1:2)
SF2: Houston Dynamo 0-3 CD Saprissa (0:0, 0:3)

FINAL

CD Saprissa 2-3  Pachuca CF (1:1, 1:2)

                                    Pachuca CF are the 2008 CONCACAF club champions

Liveblog of CCC final 2nd leg

I just got home and the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup final is about to start, so let's go.  Looks like Pachuca's stadium is close to full.

Saprissa and Pachuca drew 1-1 in Costa Rica, and there is no away goal tiebreaker.

• First half. Canadian referee Mauricio Navarro blows his whistle, and Saprissa kick off.
• The stadium announcer is saying the lineups, with the FOX Sports theme music blaring.  Couldn't he have done this before the match started?  Hopefully CONCACAF will make the presentation of the Champions' League more professional.
• 3': GOAL Pachuca.  Christian Giménez hits a low bolt from the right side of the field, after a nice series of combinations in the final third between Caballero and Rey.  Very well taken first-time shot, and just like that the Mexican side is ahead in the tie.  Pachuca 1-0 Saprissa (2-1 aggregate).
• I thought Saprissa would sit back and try to counterattack, but if they had those plans they got torpedoed rather quickly.
• 7': A high ball on the right forces Navas to leap high and palm the ball over the bar for a corner. 
• 9': Pachuca are surging through the right midfield...Giménez and Caballero look so dangerous.
• 10': Another combination between Caballero and Rey puts Alvarez through behind the defender, but his strike is too high.  Pachuca are playing at a tremendous pace.
• 12': Saprissa's first combination of the game, Alonso drops the ball back to Borges whose right-footed effort flies just outside Calero's right-hand post. 
• Fifteen minutes in, and Caballero looks to be Pachuca's best player up to this point; Alonso has been Saprissa's best.
• 20': Rodríguez takes a Pachuca free kick on the right...it's cleared away but it went past three Pachuca players in the box before it found the boot of a Saprissa defender.
• The pace has slowed down a bit, and Saprissa are starting to see more of the ball now.
• 26': A chance for Pachuca...Cabrera charges into the penalty area and dances past two Saprissa defenders on the right and shoots for goal, but Navas blocks the ball away.
• 29':  Manzur puts in a cross to Giménez coming through the middle, and Navas makes a fantastic double save low to the ground.  I thought it had hit the post for a moment!
• 31': Yellow card to Saprissa' Ronald Gómez.
• You could file this under formations not meaning a lot, but Pachuca are playing with one man up front.  It hasn't kept them from putting tremendous pressure on the Saprissa defense.
• 37': Saprissa make a quick break, Alonso puts in a cross from the right to Gómez who heads it powerfully, but Calero is equal to the task, putting fingertips on the ball to turn it around the post for a corner.
• 41': Corner to Saprissa.  Another snapping header, this time from Borges, and Pinto cleares it off the line!!  Pinto was hit in, well, in a sensitive area.  That's taking one for the team. 
• Tell you what, it looked like Pachuca were going to overwhelm Saprissa, but Saprissa's not going away.  This is turning out to be a pretty good match.
• 45': One minute of stoppage time to be played.  Saprissa have the ball but aren't doing much with it.  Looks like both sides will be content to go the dressing room now.

Halftime.  Pachuca 1-0 Saprissa (2-1 agg) A high-energy start by Pachuca, but Saprissa have had their chances to even up the match. It sets up nicely for a dramatic second half.

• Second half.  Pachuca kick off.  At least 45 more minutes remaining in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
• 48': Saprissa substitution.  Alpizar enters for Alonso.  I'm not sure why Alonso had to leave; he was Saprissa's most dangerous player.  Has Jeaustin Campos put the two up front at the same time?
• 51': Yellow card to Saprissa's Gabriel Badilla.
• 54': GOAL Pachuca.  And that could send Pachuca on the way to Japan.  A cross from the left, Manzur heads it back wonderfully to the center of the box, and Luis Gabriel Rey heads the cross into the back of the net.  Pachuca 2-0 Saprissa (3-1 agg)
• The crowd's back into it now, chanting "Olé Olé Olé, Tuzos, Tuzos"...and Pachuca nearly make it three with a low header from Cabrera but Navas makes a fine save.
• 57': Saprissa substitution.  Jairo Arrieta for Try Bennett.
• 65': Pachuca substitution.  Fernando Salazar for Damian Alvarez.
• 74': Yellow card to Saprissa's Pablo Brenes.
• Fifteen minutes to go, and Pachuca have one hand and four fingers on the cup.
• 78': Pachuca substitution. Andrés Chitiva for Christian Giménez.  And a very loud ovation for Giménez, not like he didn't deserve it.
• 84': Pachuca substitution. Juan Carlos Cacho for Luis Gabriel Rey.
• 87': Yellow card to Saprissa's Alpizar.
• Sorry for the lack of commentary, but the match has been killed off for a while now.  Pachuca are only a few minutes away from becoming the second team to repeat as Champions' Cup winners (Cruz Azul did it on two occasions, in 1969-71 and 1995-96).
• Into second-half stoppage time now...four minutes left.
• 90'+2: The Pachuca bench is jumping up and down, waving to the crowd.  They know that a return trip to Japan is very near.  An effort by Saprissa is cleared away, but the partisan crowd doesn't seem to notice or care.
• 90'+3: GOAL Saprissa! A shot from outside the box is deflected -- a really clever backheel actually -- and Arrieta is on the left side and pokes the ball past Calero.  Pachuca 2-1 Saprissa (3-2 agg)
• 90'+4: That goal makes the game interesting, one more goal by Saprissa will level the tie, but there's can't be more than a minute to go. 
• 90'+5: What a tense 30 seconds.  Saprissa launches a ball in the box, it rebounds around, but the final shot is blocked!  They still hold possession, another cross in the box, and a header...Calero knocks away!

Full time.  Pachuca 2-1 Saprissa (3-2 agg).  And Pachuca are still the Champions of North America!  It is their third Champions' Cup, and who's to say that there won't be some Champions' League trophies in store for them?  The final minutes of the semifinal and final was more dramatic than they would have liked, but in the end, the best team won the tournament.

2040: Have to wonder if any Pachuca players are on their way to Europe, or even MLS.  There was some mention of some MLS interest in a couple of the Saprissa players, but both teams have very good youth systems that will allow them to reload.

2048: The losing team has received their medals, and now the Pachuca players and staff are on the stand to receive their winner's medals.

2050: And now Jack Warner will present the Champions' Cup to Gabriel Caballero, who raises it high in the air.  Confetti and fireworks fill the air.  And that closes the book on the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, and -- hopefully -- opens a new chapter in CONCACAF club football.

2052: Jack Warner is being interviewed by Fox Sports (Español) right now, and he's being asked why the Champions' Cup is being revamped to the Champions League. He answered (I'm paraphrasing) that the objective is to improve the organization of the top club competition to emulate the European Champions' League, with more clubs and more prize money, and better organization.   He was also  asked  for his impressions on Pachuca, and he replied that it was a model club for the CONCACAF region, on and off the field.

Well, that's it for the Champions' Cup.  And Jack Warner's comments segue very nicely into what I'd like to say about the new Champions League, but I'll leave that for tomorrow.

Preview of the Champions' Cup finale

Apologies for not posting anything before the first leg of the Champions' Cup final, but I had a dinner engagement that I could not break.  As you all know, Pachuca and Saprissa drew 1-1 in Costa Rica, and the decisive match is in Pachuca tomorrow night.  Costa Rica's Nación and Al Día have previews of the big match here and here; on the Mexican side, Medio Tiempo and Esto have previews as well.

Two of the storylines surrounding the second leg are the cold weather and the low ticket sales.  As of today only 4,000 tickets have been sold (Pachuca has 5,000 members -- season-ticket holders, although it encompasses more than that), but the club officials were nonetheless confident of a big crowd.  As for the weather, the game time temperature is expected to be around 15 degrees Celsius, which might give Pachuca a bit of an advantage. 

Tomorrow night's match is Pachuca's biggest of the year.  They've had an inconsistent season and entered the playoffs of both short tournaments through the wildcard route.   Even so, they have a very experienced squad that is used to playing big international matches.  Saprissa by contrast have been very successful this season; they won the Apertura tournament and are leading the overall standings in the Clausura.  This will be their second CONCACAF final in the last four editions. 

I think Pachuca have the advantage but I expect Saprissa to sit back and play a counterattacking game.  With the lack of the away goal tiebreaker, there's not much of an incentive to do anything else.  In the end, the experience of Pachuca will make the difference as they close the CONCACAF Champions' Cup with their third CCC trophy.

Liveblog 2nd leg of CCC semifinal #2

Welcome to the 2nd leg of the other CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinal between Houston Dynamo and Deportivo Saprissa.  It's all up to the Dynamo to keep the MLS flag flying in international competition, but they'll have a stiff task against a tough rival in an intimidating environment.  Worse, the Dynamo will be missing as many as four first-choice players.

I believe this match will start at the top of the hour.  In the meantime you can read previews at the Houston Chronicle and Costa Rica's Nación. 

This match is supposed to be played under tight security measures after the club was fined for incidents during and after the quarterfinal tie against Atlante.  Given recent history involving Saprissa and Costa Rican clubs, they're very fortunate that this match isn't being played behind closed doors.

I saw a bit of the pregame shots of Saprissa stadium.  It looks packed.  And very noisy.

Teams are out on the field...it's time for the Dynamo to enter Hell.

First half. Houston to kick off.  An electric atmosphere on the artificial turf in Saprissa!

• Houston's going to have to cope with the fast moving ball on the turf -- the strikers, but especially the back line.
• 4': Oh this is not good...Craig Waibel may have injured his hamstring muscle and has left the field for treatment.  If he has to be substituted Houston will really be up against it.
• 6':  Houston substitution. Brian Mullan comes on for Craig Waibel.
• Mullan's struggling with the pace of the ball...his last two touches have gone wide.
• 10': A warning --  a cross from the left flank finds a Saprissa striker but he's flagged for offside.
• 13': Núñez whips in a cross on the left and finds Gómez who manages to head over the bar!  It really should have been 1-0 to Saprissa.
• Fifteen minutes in, and Houston's starting to feel a little more comfortable with the ball on the turf.  Too many giveaways in the center of the field, though.  The crowd has settled in for what looks to be an interesting game against two evenly-matched rivals.
• Twenty five minutes in, and it's still 0-0.  But Saprissa have a corner, which is cleared away.
• 29':  I was thinking to myself that DeRosario needed to be involved more, but he got involved and sent in a pass that was too heavy and rolled past the end line.  Houston's really struggling with through balls in the final third.
• 30':  Arrieta sends in a cross from the left to Gómez, who gets his head to it but the ball falls wide of the far post.
• 35':  GOAL Saprissa.  Alonso takes a shot from outside the right side of the penalty area which would probably have been saved, it takes a deflection off Ianni's left foot, and the ball rolls under a sprawling Caig into the back of the net.  Alonso is running to the Saprissa crowd in celebration, but it really should go down as an own goal by Ianni.   Saprissa 1-0 Houston
• Tough luck for Houston, who were really playing well, despite an inability to put together chances in the final third.
• 42': While I think Houston's holding their own and are still in the tie, they don't look like scoring from open play.  And they're not putting enough pressure on the Saprissa defenders to draw attacking free kicks.
• And Brian Dunseth's analysis has been very good so far...hope to hear a lot more of him and a lot less of Paul Caligiuri.
• 45': And the first scoring opportunity of the first half for the Dynamo.  DeRosario slid off to the right to maintain possession, lays it off to Caraccio who finds open space on the left side of the penalty area, but his shooting angle is too acute and his shot becomes a cross.

Halftime.  Saprissa 1-0 Houston.  Saprissa took the lead off a fortunate deflection, but Houston have battled well in difficult circumstances and are still in the game.  Now if they can put together some effective combinations in the final third, the match could get interesting.

• Second half. Saprissa kick off.
• I apologize for missing the start of the second half, but there's already been a goal.  They're showing the replays, and the ball was bouncing around the top of the box, but not a single Houston boot could get to it, and it made its way to Celso Borges who lashed it into the net.  Now it's Saprissa 2-0 Houston, and the Dynamo are just about down and out.
• 56': Saprissa are more fluid on the ball, and Barrantes should have finished from in front of the area, but his curling shot flew wide of the upper corner.
• 64': A lapse by Navas allows the ball to bounce to Ching, who hits it very well but Havas recovers to make an excellent save.
• 67': Saprissa substitution.  Walter Centeno for Ronald Gómez.
• Looks like Campos is moving to a slightly more defensive position...Centeno is very capable of attacking, though.
• 73': Saprissa are more than content to slow the game down.
• 75':  Brad Davis has entered the field for the Dynamo.  I didn't catch who got substituted out.
• 77': Dynamo had some pressure on the Saprissa net; two scoring chances go begging, and Saprissa clear away.
• 78':  GOAL Saprissa.  It's all over now. A through ball gets to Javier Arrieta on the right between the defensive line and the 'keeper, Caig leaves his line to challenge but is unsuccessful, and Arrieta round Caig and slots the ball into the net.  Saprissa 3-0 Houston
• So it looks like another Mexican-Costa Rican matchup in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup final...the two most successful countries in the competition.   It's only fitting that the Champions' Cup ends that way.
• 85':  The Dynamo are still making forays upfield, but any goal for them will merely be a consolation.
• 86':  Saprissa substitution.  Manfred Russell for Michael Barrantes.
• Jeaustin Campos is carrying out his youth policy -- at least five players on the field are under 21.
• And the cameraman is amusing himself with shots of some very comely female football fans, but action quickly moves to another cam.  Directors are such killjoys sometimes.
• 90': Into stoppage time, and Saprissa is just minutes away for their fourth Champions' Cup final.  The crowd is making itself heard.

Full time.  Saprissa 3-0 Houston.  Saprissa advance to the CONCACAF Champions' Cup final against Pachuca.  The Costa Rican side will host the first leg in about two weeks' time and series will conclude in Mexico a week later.   Basically, Houston did not take advantage of their local conditions, while Saprissa took full advantage of theirs. 

Continued improvement by the MLS clubs in this competition, but once again they fall at the semifinal hurdle.  MLS will have to wait for the Champions' League for continental glory.

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.

Advisory for tomorrow night

I do plan on liveblogging both second leg semifinal matches tomorrow evening.  Because both matches kick off 30 minutes apart it will be tricky; I'll watch the DCU match on TV and at the same time listen to the Dynamo match on Costa Rican radio.  If you plan I watching the Dynamo match on tape-delay and don't want to know the score beforehand, I recommend you not view this site until midnight EDT on Thursday.

Liveblog of CCC Semifinal #2

Welcome to tonight's liveblog of the first leg of the semifinal match between Houston Dynamo and Deportivo Saprissa.  Tonight's match will be at Robertson Stadium in Houston.  You can find previews of the match at the Houston Chronicle, and a late update with probable lineups at the Chronicle's soccer blog.  A preview from Costa Rica's Nacion paper can be found here.

The Saprissa delegation got held up at the Houston airport for a couple of hours because the name of one of their players matched one on "the list".  Expect that to get some play in the Costa Rican press. 

The crowd at Robertson is sparse, but the Dynamo supporters should make it noisy.

Saprissa will play 3-5-2; Houston most likely a 4-4-2.  Ricardo Clark in the holding midfield position is an important addition for the Dynamo; hopefully he'll show what the Dynamo needed in the CONCACAF semis last year.  Alonso is the player up front to watch for Saprissa.

• First half. Saprissa kicks off and away we go!  The referee is Courtney Campbell of Jamaica.
• I have to mention that Mr. Moreno was competent last night -- I disagreed with him on the no-call on the penalty late in the second half, but not with much else.
• 2': Ching makes a fine turn on the right side of the penalty area and fires a hard shot that hits the side netting and frame.
• 9':  Another great chance as Caraccio sends a cross from the right and it rolls between Ching's legs and DeRosario takes a strike but is blocked.  Dynamo appear to be having success on the right flank.
• 15': Saprissa's first dangerous moment as Alonso comes flying into the penalty area.  He bumps shoulders with Barrett and falls down, but no penalty.  That run came from the center, which was exposed over and over by Gamba Osaka.
• 17': Houston comes back with a corner...Mulrooney finds Robinson, but his header is deflected over the bar.
• 19': Now another corner from Houston, Boswell makes a strong header by saved well by Navas.
• 20': Houston have had more opportunities so far, but that defensive line looks fragile.  Saprissa will get a couple of chances before tonight is done.
• 23':  And Saprissa put on a counterattack and get support from two surging midfielders.  The through ball is a little long, but Onstad has to hurry to get it cleared away.
• 28': The camera work is better in this match than last night's.  It's a wider view of the
• 29':  Great cross from Ashe on the left, but the header by Ching fell wide of the far post.  So close, but Ching had a great chance there.
• 30':  Saprissa counter and Núñez takes a stinging drive from the left that Onstad parries away for a corner.
• 31': And now Dynamo get a huge opportunity -- DeRosario is found in the middle and lays it off for Ching, but his shot is blocked by a charging Navas.  Lots of action so far!
• Ten minutes to halftime and still no goals.  Houston's playing well, but this is all very good news for Saprissa.
• 39': Bretos just mentioned Costa Rica's Drummond brothers (Jervis, who plays for Saprissa, and Gerald who plays for Herediano) - "the most famous Drummond brothers since Willis and Arnold".  Wha'chu talkin' bout, Willis?
• 42': The Dynamo have some good movement, but the timing on their passes and combinations is off.  It will get better as the MLS season progresses, but not in time for this tournament.
• 45'+1: We're into stoppage time now.  Don't know how much time will be added.
• 45'+2:  What a chance for Houston!  Clark slices the back line open with a pass to Caraccio on the right, whose cross finds a streaking Ashe on the left, but his shot hits the side netting.

Halftime:  Houston Dynamo 0-0 Saprissa.  An entertaining match; both teams have chances to score and win.  The Dynamo will definitely want to score at least two  in order to feel good about the away leg.

Dynamo really need to firm up that back line; Saprissa will want to keep Houston on their heels.  0-0 would be a fantastic result for them.

• Second half.  Dynamo kick off - no changes for either team.
• 50': End-to-end action in the first five minutes of the half.  That was a good cross from Ianni on the right side, but Caraccio was well shielded by Drummond.
• 55': And now the Dynamo are starting to enjoy more of the possession, but that Saprissa defense closes in faster than the Dynamo can put passes together.
• 59':  You know, I'm thinking that "World" Soccer Daily host Steven Cohen's criticism of MLS as being too slow has some merit.  With some quicker exchanges and runs off the ball the Dynamo may have scored by now.
• 60': DeRosario turns Padilla inside out on the right with a beautiful pirouette, and his cross is turned over the line by Drummond for a corner.
• 65':  Ohhh woww!!!!  Clark redirects a bouncing ball over the Saprissa defense to Caraccio, who pokes a foot out, but the ball floats just over the crossbar.  Caraccio has his head in his hands and who can blame him!
• 66': And again Caraccio is through, sent in by Mulrooney, but Navas saves the ball at the Argentine's feet.
• The Dynamo really need a goal...it might come, but it may not the way things are going.
• 69': Another breakaway run by Caraccio who goes all the way to the end line, too far to make a quality shot on goal but Navas deflects for a corner.
• 70':  Yellow card to Houston's Boswell.  Not quite sure why.  First yellow card of the match by the way.
• 71':  Saprissa are enjoying some sustained possession now, their first since the start of the second half.
• 73': I think Navas and Drummond have been excellent for Saprissa tonight.  They have been in the right locations at the right times.
• 75': Saprissa substitution.  Bryan Jiménez for Gabriel Badilla.
• 75': Houston substitution.  Geoff Cameron for Richard Mulrooney.
• 77': I'm agreeing with the FSC commentators -- Bobby Boswell has been excellent tonight.
• 79': A cross from Ashe on the left finds Ching alone in the middle of the box, but his effort is wide of the near post. 
• 80': Houston substitution.  Chris Wondolowski for Gabriel Caraccio.
• Ten minutes to go...Dynamo may score, and they may not.  Not good.
• 81': Saprissa substitution.  Michael Barrantes for Armando Alonso.  FSC's saying that it's their third sub; I didn't catch the first one.
• 82': Finally an attacking free kick for the Dynamo!  It's flicked on and blocked by Navas, deflected out to Wondolowski, who lays it off for Clark but his long-distance shot is wide of the far post. 
• 85': Now a couple of corners for Saprissa, a rare foray upfield in the second half.  Dynamo have had the run of play, but Saprissa have the result.
• 88': With a couple of exceptions, Mr. Campbell has been good.  Just gave a yellow to Saprissa's Barrantes.
• 89': Cameron doesn't give the pass "enough lift" (as Bretos puts it).  What a drag...
• Stoppage time here we come.  Three minutes to be added.  Are any goals forthcoming?
• 90'+2:  What a chance!!  DeRosario finds Ching alone in the box on the right side, but Ching's diving effort pops the ball over the bar.  You just have to convert those at this level. 
• This has been a frustrating effort for the Dynamo.  And there's one minute of stoppage time remaining.
• 90'+3:  Another goalmouth scramble by the Dynamo is blocked away by the Saprissa defenders massed in the box.  And Barrantes, leading a counter, fires a shot that Onstad has to dive and save.  What a match!!

Full time.  Houston 0-0 Saprissa.   An exciting match with end-to-end action and thrilling goalmouth action, but with a frustrating outcome for the Houston Dynamo.  Saprissa will be thrilled with the result...and now, it's time for the Dynamo to enter Hell.

Liveblog of CCC semifinal #1

DC United is playing away to Pachuca in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinals.   The DCenters blog doesn't have a preview but I imagine they'll be following the game; Medio Tiempo has a preview here and possible lineups here. 

DC United had a lackluster start to the MLS season, but I'm sure that Tom Soehn is pleased that everyone left Kansas City unhurt.  He rested Jaime Moreno and Fred on Saturday and the duo should be in the lineup tonight.  Pachuca will be without Fernando Salazar and Damián Alvarez to injury.  Pachuca are not as strong as the all-conquering side of a year ago, but they're still a formidable side.

The referee is Roberto Moreno of Panama.

• First half.  And we're off!  Pachuca takes the early advantage through Chitiva on the right.
• Looks like DCU and Pachuca are playing a 4-4-2, which could become a 3-5-2 at times.
• I do find it amusing that Max Bretos is pronouncing Gallardo's name the usual Spanish way, while Christopher Sullivan, ever eager to impress, pronounces it with the Argentine 'zh'.
• 7': A golden opportunity for DC United as Gallardo finds MacTavish, who launches a cross toward a streaking Luciano Emilio.  Calero's attempted cross collides with Emilio, but the ball gets too far away from him and is blocked by a defender on the bye line.
• I was going to say that DCU is going to have to watch their left side.  Pachuca looks more dangerous on their right side.
• 9': A Giménez free kick on the right side finds López, but his header flies over the bar.
• 13': The first use of 'collective' by Christopher Sullivan.
• 17': Wow, Gallardo's playing defense!
• 18': Wonderful combination between Emilio and Niell finds the Argentine in the right side of the penalty area.  He really should have shot on goal, but he attempted to thread the needle to Emilio and it's cleared away.
• 20': Hot cross from Rodríguez on the left is saved by Zach Wells.
• Twenty minutes in, no goals, just what DCU wants.  I'm liking MacTavish's passes and Fred's runs into the attacking area.  Pachuca is giving Gallardo a lot of space, which should allow him to thrive.
• Chitiva looks like Pachuca's best player so far.
• 26': Very nice nutmeg from Fred in midfield!  I enjoyed that.
• Fifteen minutes to halftime...still 0-0. 
• 32':  And just as I say that, Giménez makes a cross that the central defender loses, and it falls to Cacho, but his shot is fired straight into Wells' hands.
• 33': And another dangerous effort, as Caballero is all alone in the box but his shot flies high and wide of the far post.
• Pachuca's starting to turn on the attack now...
• 39': Wells has just been given a yellow card for delay of game.
• Five minutes to halftime...pay attention, DC United!
• 43': DCU have pushed forward and have had some important runs of possession in the last five minutes.  Will their lungs forgive them?
• 44': A cross by Giménez forces Martínez to really stretch to kick the ball away for a corner.  Will his groin muscle forgive him?
• There was only one minute of stoppage time, and that's...
• Halftime.  Pachuca 0-0 DC United.  Good for DCU so far. If they can hold out in the altitude for another 45 minutes, they'd really have a chance in the return leg.
• Second half.  Pachuca's made a substitution, and so have DC United.  I'll give more details later.
• 48': Paco Torres hit the post for Pachuca!  A long range effort hit the upper corner of the bar and post.
• DCU Substitution (made at start of second half): Franco Niell has left, and Santino Quaranta has entered.
• 53':  Quaranta just got drilled on an attempted cross, and he'll have to leave for a few minutes...once he catches his breath.
• A ball sliced through the back line is deflected away in front of goal for a Pachuca corner.  Pachuca have dominated possession since the start of the second half.  Incidentally, Quaranta is back on the pitch.
• 57':  And now Fred gives away a needless foul right in front of the box.  I think he's very lucky to escape without a booking.  Giménez's free kick deflects off the top of the wall for a corner, and the ensuing corner is headed wide.
• One hour is behind us, one half-hour to go.
• More info on Pachuca's two subs at halftime:  Luis Montes entered for Gabriel Caballero, and José Torres for Carlos Rodríguez.
• 63':  GOAL Pachuca!  Luis Montes is found all alone on the left side, way too much space, and he fires a shot that flies over Wells at the near post.  Pachuca 1-0 DC United
• 65':  The white shirts are really flying in now, as they sense that a second goal will give them a strong advantage in the series.
• 67':  Pachuca substitution (#3).  Paul Aguilar enters the field for Marvin Cabrera.
• 69':  DC United's possession has been virtually nonexistent in the second half, and Pachuca have another corner.
• 71': The liveblogger's curse - DCU put together a good string of passes to relieve the pressure on the defense.  They still haven't put a shot on goal in the match.
• 75': Fifteen minutes to go
• 76':  What a great pass by Gallardo to find Emilio, who won't SHOOOOOTTTT!!!!  And by the time he does it's blocked away.  Another run by Gallardo on the right and a low hard cross across the goal finds no one.  What a wasted opportunity by DCU!
• 78': DCU is noticeably tiring now...
• 79':  DCU substitution (#2):  Rod Dyachenko in for Marcelo Gallardo.
• 80':  Luis Montes again is found alone on the left side, and is bundled over by MacTavish right at the boundary of the penalty box.  How that was not awarded a penalty is beyond me.
• 81':  GOAL Pachuca.  DC United pay the penalty anyway, as Giménez sends a beautiful cross that Luis Montes heads powerfully into the net.   Pachuca 2-0 DC United
• 81':  DCU Substitution (#3):  Just before that free kick, MacTavish left the field to be replaced by Rocco Mediate, so that's the final substitution of the game.
• Luis Montes was an inspired substitution by Meza.  His impact has been superb.
• 90': Is Quaranta capable of maintaining possession?  At all?
• 90': Emilio is tackled in the open field by Pinto as he's about to run into goal.  Pinto wasn't the last man so he just receives a yellow.  Emilio is not pleased at all, and proceeds to let Pinto know.
• 90'+1:  Thank the Lord for small favors.  Mediate makes a lunge for a pass to Chitiva, misses, and Chitiva crosses the ball to the far post that is volleyed in by Cacho (?), but is waved off for offside.
• Pachuca's slowing the action down, varying the pace of play at will.  A free kick to Quaranta goes for nought, and an offside call against Pachuca brings us to....
• Full time.  Pachuca 2-0 DC United.  DCU gave a brave effort in the first half, but the combination of a lack of sustained possession, a lack of scoring punch, and an abundance of burning lungs hurt their chances in the second.  The entrance of Luis Montes was a match winning move, and it could be a series winning move as well.  United have a tough home leg against a side that has had some important successes on the road in recent years.

More CCC liveblogging

And now the second CCC match of the night:  Municipal vs. Houston Dynamo.  Again, not a full house at Mateo Flores.

• Appears that Houston is playing a 4-4-2, the same with Municipal.
• Someone should have a drinking contest where a drink is taken every time Christopher Sullivan uses the word "collective".
• 16':  The first serious attempt of the night, as a free kick swung inside the box finds its way to Melgar, who inexplicably misses.  All alone in front of goal - it would have been easier to score than miss!
• 20':  Through-ball finds Rodríguez, whose shot flies wide of the goal area.  That ball came through the center of the field, which should be a real cause of concern for Houston.
• 22':  Another effort by Municipal as Figueroa's long-distance shot forces a save by Onstad, resulting in a corner.  Municipal are clearly stating their intentions here.
• 24':  Clark spreads the ball wide from Mulrooney on the right, but his cross is too far behind Ching, who is forced to head it backwards.  Nice sequence, but the cross needed to be better.
• 25':  Barrett is really struggling in the back - Rodríguez's cross is met by Da Silva, but his effort trickles wide.
• So far this match has all the intensity that the first match lacked.
• 30':  Houston's first chance of the night as a high flick by Ching finds a streaking De Rosario on the left.  His effort is blocked, but the rebound falls to Wondolowski whose shot is also blocked.  Ching makes an approach to the ball, but it is cleared away.
• 37':  Houston appear to have settled down, and they are carving out some opportunities, but I would give Municipal the advantage so far.
• 42': A terrific cross from Barrett finds Wondolowski, whose header looked like it was headed for the far corner but bounced just wide of the post.   Ching was approaching but appeared to back off; did he think it was going in?  Either way, a fantastic opportunity lost for the Dynamo.
• I am liking Ricardo Clark's play in the first half.  He has shown what the Dynamo missed -- and desperately needed -- in that semifinal against Pachuca last year.
• Halftime:  Municipal 0-0 Houston Dynamo.  A high-tempo first half, plenty of chances for both teams, and a couple of certain goals that weren't.
• I had to take care of something, and I missed the start of the second half.  Five minutes in, but it's still goalless.
• 53':  Mulrooney cracks a nice half-volley from just outside the right side of the area, but it goes wide.
• 57':  A string of three corner kicks doesn't produce any opportunities for Municipal, but a through-ball finds Romero charging in alone, but he contrives to slot the ball wide of the far post!!  Again, it would have been easier to score!  The replay shows that he clearly mis-hit the ball.
• 72':  The pace of the match has slowed down considerably, and that's good for Houston.
• 73':  Clark hit the post from outside the area, passed the 'keeper and slammed the outside of the far post.
• 90':  Updates have slowed down, but the action has slowed down, too.  Three minutes of stoppage time.
• Full time.  Municipal 0-0 Houston Dynamo.  That's as good as a win for the Dynamo.