Result of the Saturday July 5th, 2008 international friendly between MLS Toronto FC and Pachuca CF (Mexico) played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm. This game was for the "Carlsberg Cup".
Toronto FC (all red, white numbers)
................1 Greg Sutton
.........29 Nana Attakora-Gyan...3 Julius James...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)
24 Tyler Hemming...15 Tyler Rosenlund...5 Kevin Harmse...32 Laurent Robert...10 Rohan Ricketts
...............7 Abdus Ibrahim...23 Jarrod Smith
Subs:...18 Brian Edwards (gk)...2 Marco Bedenikovic (mid)...16 Marvell Wynne (def)...17 Joey Melo (mid)...27 Gabe Gala (def/mid)
...36 Kilian Elkinson (mid)...96 Jeff Cunningham (fwd)
team officials:...head coach John Carver...1st assistant coach Chris Cummins
Pachuca CF (all white, navy chests, black numbers, red logo "Office Depot" on back shoulders)
..................1 Miguel Calero (cpt)
8 Gabriel Caballero...2 Leobardo Lopez...3 Julio Manzur...16 Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez Serrano
19 Crhistian Gimenez...22 Paul Nicholas Aguilar Rojas...6 Jaime Correa...7 Damian Ariel Alvarez
................9 Bruno Marioni...11 Jose Maria Cardenas Lopez
Subs:...10 "Christian" Correa Dionisio (fwd)...12 Juan Carlos Rojas Guerra...13 Edwin Alejandro Borboa Perez (fwd)...15 Edy German Brambila (mid)
...18 Jose Francisco Torres (mid)...24 Raul Asencion Martinez Rodriguez (mid)...27 Luiz Arturo Montes Jimenez (mid)
team officials:...head coach Enrique Mesa
Game officials:...referee Sylviu Petrescu...referee's assistants Hector Vergara and Daniel Belleau...fourth official Domenic Scali...(yellow shirts, black socks and shorts)
1st Half:...game starts 7:49pm...TFC defend north end on this hot, humid evening with the sun in the north west.
35 sec...TFC goalie has to charge up to clear bad back pass.
2 min...Pac goalie dribble out of box and clears through ball.
4 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 25 yards on left has goalie catch.
5 min...TFC Robert cornerkick from left has nearest defender pop header over players in box.
5 min...TFC Harmse intercepts Pac goalie clearance with goalie out to right but he can't get away a shot down middle from 30 yards.
6 min...TFC Harmse rolls 35 yard shot through players up middle smothered by goalie on left post.
7 min...Pac Marioni can't turn deflected shot into TFC box from right and kicks 7 yard shot wide left.
10 min...Pac Alvarez crosses 18 yard shot from left through box that deflects off defender for cornerkick.
11 min...Pac Cardenas Lopez pushes ball on edge of box wide left too far ahead of Pac player.
12 min...TFC Ibrahim gets pass on right and kicks 20 yarder into outside webbing of net although the offside flag was up.
14 min...Pac Alvarez cross from 15 yards on left has leaping Pac Marioni head 5 yarder into outside right webbing of net.
17 min...Pac Alvarez cross from left twice in a row and defenders head ball away both times.
18 min...Pac Alvarez cuts around TFC Attakora-Gyan to get 28 yard roller wide left of goal.
19 min...TFC Robert 40 yard freekick from left bounces wide left past charging TFC forwards.
23 min...Pac Gimenez cross in from left has defender clear away.
25 min...Pac Cardenas Lopez low 35 yard freekick from right has defender pop up ball from 10 yards and kick and goalie catch it.
26 min...Pac Gimenez shot blocked by sprawling TFC James and Pac Gimenez rebound from 10 yards blocked by goalie and grabbed.
27 min...TFC Ibrahim pops 12 yard header over Pac net after receiving cross.
28 min...Pac Alvarez cross from left has goalie reach forward to catch.
30 min...Pac Gimenez 28 yard blast from left bends well wide right of net.
31 min...TFC goalie charges to edge of box to pick up loose ball.
34 min...Pac Alvarez cross from left near end line flies behind net.
37 min...Pac Alvarez on right rolls 18 yard shot wide right.
39 min...TFC Harmse long run on right wins cornerkick when ball deflected out.
40 min...TFC Robert cornerkick from right is caught by goalie on right post.
41 min...TFC Robert 55 yard chip has leaping goalie palm ball over net.
41 min...TFC Robert cornerkick from left has Pac player clear and run over TFC player who is awarded a freekick.
42 min...TFC Robert 25 yard freekick from left hits top of net just over bar.
45 min...half ends 8:34pm.
Halftime entertainment consists of the Carlsberg beer carton kick. All three contestants miss their target twice and one more chance from a closer distance results in a contestant known as 'Moose' winning.
2nd Half:...starts 8:49pm.
halftime subs:...Pac Juan Carlos Rojas Guerra replaces Paul Nicolas Aguilar Rojas.
...............Pac Brambila Rosales replaces Cardenas Lopez.
...............Pac Torres Mezzell replaces Caballero.
.............TFC Edwards replaces Sutton in goal.
46 min...Pac Rojas Guerra cross from right has TFC Hemming on left concede cornerkick.
46 min...TFC Ibrahim long rush on right has rolls centering pass that's blocked by defender instead of taking the shot himself.
48 min...TFC Smith long run down right and fights off defender but rolls ball into box that goalie scoops up.
49 min...TFC Hemming rolls 20 yard shot that goalie slides to block at 10 yards.
52 min...Pac Rojas Guerra crosses from right that leaping Pac player flick heads through TFC box and defender chests back to goalie on risky pass back.
54 min...Pac Cardenas Lopez 40 yard freekick from left sideline has TFC defender head ball away on edge of box.
54 min...TFC goalie catches 40 yard bouncer into box.
56 min...TFC Robert 30 yard freekick from right is wide left of net.
57 min...Pac sub...Christian replaces Marioni.
57 min...Pac Christian beats offside but 20 yard blast is well over net.
59 min...Pac Christian GOAL...Christian bashes through defenders up the middle and his low 10 yard shot is into right corner of net beyond goalie Brian Edwards.
59 min...TFC sub...Cunningham replaces Ibrahim.
60 min...TFC Rosenlund 30 yard low shot smothered by goalie.
61 min...Pac Gimenez gets pass on deflection and his 10 yard shot is off right post.
62 min...TFC Robert 50 yard freekick up middle bent wide right just over leaping TFC forwards.
62 min...TFC Harmse 35 yard blast up middle is over players and net.
63 min...Pac Alvarez 30 yard cross from left is caught by goalie.
65 min...Pac sub...Borboa Perez replaces Gimenez.
66 min...TFC Robert 30 yard cross from left has goalie punch wide right although play was whistled down for him getting bumped by TFC player.
67 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 25 yards on left is over TFC Cunningham in box.
68 min...Pac sub...Montes Jimenez replaces Alvarez.
68 min...TFC Julius James GOAL...TFC Laurent Robert cornerkick from left has James head ball in from 5 yards from left into short left side over kneeling goalie.
69 min...Pac Montes Jimenez rolls over pass in middle and Pac Torres Mezzell blasts high over net.
70 min...TFC Attakora-Gyan injured just outside center circle.
74 min...TFC Ricketts cross from 30 yards on left has defender head ball away.
74 min...Pac Caballero cross from 15 yards on left has TFC Brennan pop header out right side of box.
76 min...TFC Hemming on rush stopped at 22 yards and ball squeezes through defenders but play whistled down for Pac freekick.
77 min...TFC Cunningham kicks ball away when called offside. No card given.
78 min...Pac Lopez 25 yard shot from right has Pac Caballero flick header from 12 yards just off target.
79 min...Pac sub...Martinez Rodriguez replaces Correa.
82 min...Pac Montes Jimenez intercepts TFC ball but TFC players eventually recover to prevent shot on net.
82 min...TFC Cunningham misses redirecting cross from 3 yards into open left side of net.
83 min...Pac Lopez blast from right is wide right with goalie stepping out of way.
84 min...TFC YELLOW card...Harmse for bumping into Pac player at Pac 40 yard line.
85 min...Pac Christian pushed off ball as he bashes up middle.
86 min...Pac Rojas Guerra cross from right has Pac Torres Mezzell pop up recross from left which gaolie charges to catch.
88 min...TFC Rosenlund lets ball get away and rolls out for Pac throw-in in left cornerflag after being pushed pass.
89 min...Pac Martinez Rodriguez rebound shot has TFC James slide and deflect ball wide left for cornerkick.
89 min...Pac Torres Mezzell cornerkick from left has Pac Montes Jimenez shot deflected wide right for cornerkick.
90 min...Pac Brambila Rosales cornerkick from right whistled down in box.
92 min...Pac Torres Mezzell 30 yard blast from left is well wide right.
93 min...end of regulation time 9:37pm.
Penalty shootout...it is decided to use the south goal for this. Five shots each and continue until there's a winner.
TFC Rohan Ricketts GOAL...Ricketts sends ball hig to left side. Goalie can't reach far enough.
Pac Leobardo Lopez GOAL...Lopez sends in low roller to left as goalie slides to right.
TFC Laurent Robert GOAL...Robert's shot is over goalie diving left.
Pac Julio Manzur GOAL...Manzur chips ball to right as goalie rolls left.
TFC Jim Brennan Miss...Brennan boots ball over net to right of goal.
Pac Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez Serrano GOAL...Rodriguez Serrano low roller under goalie up middle.
TFC Jarrod Smith GOAL...Smith's shot is to right side of net as goalie moves to left.
Pac Luiz Arturo Montes Jimenez Miss...Montes Jimenez has shot blocked on right side.
TFC Jeff Cunningham Miss...Cunningham has shot blocked up middle.
Pac Christian Miss...Christian shot is low and goalie blockes on dive to left.
TFC Kevin Harmse Miss...Harmse blasts shot off underside of bar but stays out.
Pac Edwin Alejandro Borboa Perez GOAL...Borboa Perez shot is to high right as goalie dives left.
Final Score:.........Toronto FC.........1...........Pachuca CF..........1...........Pachuca wins 4-3 on Penalties
Attendance was announced as 18079. This game was included in the season's ticket package although the visiting team wasn't decided until a few months ago. Toronto FC crowded their fixture schedule once they announced participation in the CONCACAF club team qualifying against Montreal and Vancouver. With them losing in Toronto to Vancouver, it made the rematch in Vancouver more important. Tonight's squad was filled with their reserve players. This game had double prime ticket pricing though. A game in my section costs $60 but if it's a prime game such as against glamour team Los Angeles Galaxy it's $80. This game was priced at $160. I can get to see their reserves games for free right after the main games or the next day and didn't appreciate this. I had some agreements when I posted my opinion to soccer message boards. However, I was glad to see the team was competitive against a team from Mexico that they may face in the CONCACAF continental play. My row stayed half empty during the game. Pachuco/Mexican fans had no trouble getting tickets. There were even some of them in the south stands waving flags in what is usually the TFC hard core sections.
A full game from Brennan and Robert, half a game from Sutton and the last 30 minutes of Cunningham was the limit of the regular starters.
Reading Wikipedia before the game to get a lineup and history of the visitors I saw that "Christian" was the star of the team. He was a second half sub and scored the Pachuca goal in regulation but after that TFC defenders neutralized him.
The Carlsberg Cup was awarded at the end of the game and that's why they needed a winner. I had no problem with them jumping staight to a Penalty shootout and skipping Golden or Silver Goal overtime after regulation time ended in a tie.
The team didn't have 'Bitchy' the hawk anchored to the top of the stands so there were pigeons flying around and seagulls in the distance.
The after game ceremony presented Pachuca with the Carlsberg Cup but TFC player Abdus Ibrahim was awarded Man of the Match for his 59 minutes of work. He is only 16 years old and was only recently acquired in a trade by the team. In the introductions, Ibrahim was the only TFC player introduced without a picture. Also funny was the PA announcers habit of reading out just the TFC player's first name and letting the fans fill in the surname. Very awkward hearing us complete the name "Nana...Attakora-Gyan".
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Pachuca (1-0-0) vs. Toronto FC (0-1-0) July 05, 2008 -- BMO Field Scoring Summary: PAC -- Christian Correa 1 (Christian Gimenez ) 60 TOR -- Julius James 1 (Laurent Robert ) 69 Penalty-kick shootout: TOR -- Rohan Ricketts (Goal) PAC -- Leobardo Lopez (Goal) TOR -- Laurent Robert (Goal) PAC -- Julio Manzur (Goal) TOR -- Jim Brennan (High) PAC -- Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez Serrano (Goal) TOR -- Jarrod Smith (Goal) PAC -- Luis Arturo Montes Jimenez (Saved) TOR -- Jeff Cunningham (Saved) PAC -- Christian Correa (Saved) TOR -- Kevin Harmse (Crossbar) PAC -- Edwin Alejandro Borboa Perez (Goal) Pachuca -- Miguel Calero, Leobardo Lopez, Julio Manzur, Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez Serrano, Jaime Correa (Raul Asencion Martinez Rodriguez 79), Gabriel Caballero (Juan Carlos Rojas Guerra 46), Paul Nicolas Aguilar Rojas (Jose Francisco Torres Mezzell 46), Jose Maria Cardenas Lopez, Damian Ariel Alvarez (Luis Arturo Montes Jimenez 83) (Edy German Brambila Rosales 46), Bruno Marioni (Christian Correa 57), Christian Gimenez (Edwin Alejandro Borboa Perez 65). Substitutes Not Used: Toronto FC -- Greg Sutton (Brian Edwards 46), Nana Attakora-Gyan, Julius James, Jim Brennan, Rohan Ricketts, Kevin Harmse, Tyler Hemming, Tyler Rosenlund, Laurent Robert, Abdus Ibrahim (Jeff Cunningham 60), Jarrod Smith. Substitutes Not Used: Marco Bedenikovic, Kilian Elkinson, Gabe Gala, Joey Melo, Marvell Wynne Toronto FC Pachuca total shots: 9 (Kevin Harmse 2, Laurent Robert 2) 14 (Christian Gimenez 3) shots on goal: 5 (5 tied with 1) 3 (3 tied with 1) fouls: 15 (Rohan Ricketts 3, Tyler Rosenlund 3) 9 (Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez Serrano 3, Christian Correa 3) offsides: 3 (3 tied with 1) 1 (Bruno Marioni 1) corner kicks: 3 (Laurent Robert 3) 3 (3 tied with 1) saves: 2 (Greg Sutton 1, Brian Edwards 1) 4 (Miguel Calero 4) Misconduct Summary: TOR -- Kevin Harmse (caution; Reckless Foul) 85 referee: Silviu Petrescu Referee's Assistants: Hector Vergara; Daniel Belleau 4th official: Domenic Scali time of game: 1:55 attendance: 18,097 weather: Clear -and- 73 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
#7 Abdus Ibrahim warms up for TFC. Who knew he'd be voted player of the game?
TFC starters
Pachuca starters
TFC Laurent Robert on attack.
midfield action
Goalie's decide which end to use in the penalty shootout.
TFC's Rohan Ricketts in penalty shootout.
Pachuca's Leobardo Lopez in penalty shootout.
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