Toluca went down a man just 10 minutes into their home leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against Monterrey, but have so far been able to control the damage. They head into halftime tied 0-0.
Toluca Vs. Monterrey, CONCACAF Champions League: Toluca Holding Own Despite Being Down A Man
Monterrey has been able to control possession, but has so far been unable to mount any serious challenges. Neither goalkeeper has really been tested as the two teams have not looked particularly worried about asserting their will.
It all brings up an issue that many have openly been asking in recent days: Does CONCACAF Champions League matter? There’s really no point in debating whether league matches or this tournament are more important for most of the fans, players and even front offices of the teams involved. Whether it’s the fact that most teams are content to sit some of their best players or that the stadiums are only a fraction as full as they would be for a league match, it’s apparent.
The question, then, becomes How does CCL grow in popularity? The first step seems obvious: a non-Mexican team needs to win this thing. Saprissa was the last team to manage that and it was back in 2005. The last U.S. team to win the tournament was the 2000 Los Angeles Galaxy. Both of those winners accomplished the feat while the tournament was being played under a different format than it is currently being played.
The quarterfinal brackets seem to be designed with this intention. All four Mexican teams are on the same side and one of them will play a non-Mexican team in the final. Could this be the thing that makes people start caring? That seems doubtful, but it is a step in the right direction.
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