HOUSTON -- Two of the best teams in Mexico squared off Monday night at Robertson Stadium as CONCACAF Champions Pachuca defeated 2008 Apertura Champions Toluca, 1-0. Two second-half substitutes, Christian Gimenez and Edgar Benitez, combined to secure Pachuca's advancement to the next round of InterLiga 2009.
With frigid temperatures and both teams still in preseason form, the clubs came out a little cold offensively. Pachuca had the best of the ball early, but to little or no avail. The teams combined for only five first half shots, with none forcing saves.
The best efforts in the first half came in the final minutes. In the 44th minute, Pachuca midfielder Damian Alvarez broke free down the right side behind the Toluca defense. The Tuzos midfielder tried to send the ball across to forward Blas Perez, who was making a dangerous run, but a great play by a Toluca defender cleared the ball out for a corner.
The resulting corner kick was cleared easily by the Red Devils but the ball made its way to Alvarez again, this time 40 yards from goal. His blast from distance went narrowly wide and the halftime whistle blew, ending a drab first half.
Both teams came out with more attacking flair in the second half. Toluca opened when Carlos Morales ripped a shot from the top of the box right at Tuzos goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota.
Pachuca didn't take long to counter. Gimenez sent in a ball from the right side across the Toluca defense. The ball found Alvarez who sent the ball low and across the face of the goal, missing just wide.
Tuzos coach Enrique Meza gambled early in the second half when he made his third and final substitution in the 58th minute bringing on Benitez for Alvarez. The move almost paid immediate dividends in the very next minute when Benitez drove in on goal and smoothly cut the ball back beating his defender. His shot, though, went narrowly wide into the side-netting.
Pachuca Coach Enrique Meza was pleased with the play of his team, and in particular, the performance of his substitutes.
"Yes, I think that once they came in they took their toll on the opposition," he said. "Afterwards the others came in and we were able to win the game."
Midfielder Jose Francisco Torres agreed. "We have good players and they came out motivated. They came in strong with a lot of attitude," Torres said.
Pachuca's pressure finally turned out to be too much as they were rewarded for their large advantage in possession. Gimenez again broke down the right side of the Red Devil defense and his cross was perfect, finding Benitez at the far post. Benitez mishit the ball downward but the ball deflected off of him a second time and into the goal. It wasn't pretty, but it counted just the same.
Pachua almost extended the lead twice in the 73rd and 74th minutes, again through their second half substitutes. A Pachuca cross found Gimenez in front of goal, but he deflected the cross just wide. In the very next minute, Benitez broke free behind the Toluca defense with a perfectly placed pass by Jose Francisco Torres. He drove on goal, but Toluca keeper Cesar Lozano parried the effort just over the bar.
Toluca are champions, however, and they weren't going down without a fight. Second half substitute Raul Nava drove in on goal down the left side in the 79th minute. His effort was saved easily by a well-positioned Cota to preserve the 1-0 victory for Pachuca.
With the win, the Tuzos now sit with six points atop Group A. They have guaranteed themselves advancement to the next round regardless of the outcome of their final game. In addition, they have the inside track on the top spot in the group as the only team that can catch them in points, Tecos UAG, has to make up a whopping eight goals in goal differential, the first tie-breaker.
Tuzos midfielder Torres was happy with his team's performance and the position in which Pachuca now sit.
"I think we are one step closer to the final," he said. "We had a good game tonight. We did the simple things, and we came out with a good score."
