Toronto FC will open the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League at BMO Field on Tuesday, August 17 (GOL TV Canada, 8 p.m.) against one of the biggest and most successful teams in the history of Mexican football. Cruz Azul have made it to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League for the last two years and qualified for this year’s Group Stage with a convincing Preliminary Round win over Panama’s San Francisco FC.
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Cruz Azul won 3-2 in the away leg against San Francisco in Panama thanks to a hat-trick from Emmanuel Villa. They then returned home and won 6-0 in Mexico City for an 9-2 aggregate victory.
Cruz Azul in the Champions League:
Cruz Azul are seasoned Champions League performers and made it all the way to the final in the 2009/10 tournament before falling to fellow Mexicans Pachuca on away goals in the final, denying them the chance to participate in the Club World Cup which takes place in the United Arab Emirates later this year. Cruz Azul finished top of Group C in last year’s tournament and defeated Panama’s Arabe Unido 4-0 in the wuarter finals and Pumas UNAM in the semi final. They also made it to the final in 2008/09 where they fell 2-0 on aggregate to Atlante of Mexico.
At Home:
After playing at Estadio Azteca, Cruz Azul moved into 35,000-seat Estadio Azul in 1996, located in the South Western part of Mexico City. One of the most successful clubs in Mexico, Los Cementeros have won eight league championships, fourth behind Guadalajara (11), Toluca (10) and Club America (10). Cruz Azul is also the only CONCACAF team to reach the Copa Libertadores final, losing on penalties to Argentine giants Boca Juniors in 2001.
Cruz Azul dominated the 1970s, winning the league tournament six times, four under manager Raul Cardenas, earning the nickname La Maquina Celeste, which remains today. Cruz Azul won their eighth title in 1997 on a last-minute penalty kick by former Mexican great Carlos Hermosillo. They are the only club in Mexico to play in 16 finals, winning half.
Three to watch:
Veteran midfielder Gerardo Torrado is the captain of Cruz Azul and has made over 150 appearances for them since signing in 2005. He has over 100 caps for Mexico and is a two-time winner of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Mexican international Fausto Pinto is a defender who was part of Pachuca’s CONCACAF Champions Cup title winning squad in 2008. He was part of the Mexico squad that won the Gold Cup in the United States last year.
Emanuel Villa has scored 28 goals in just 40 appearances for Cruz Azul. The Argentine forward played for Derby County in the English premier League in 2008. He scored all three goals in the first leg of Cruz Azul’s Preliminary Round tie against San Francisco.
Coach:
Enrique Meza is now in his fourth period as the coach of Cruz Azul, and is alsop currently the interim head coach of the Mexican National Team. He first took control of the team in 1982 and has also coached there from 1992-95, 2003 and his current spell started in 2009. Prior to joining Cruz Azul, Meza twice won the CONCACAF Champions Cup with Pachuca and led them to the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
Where they came from
Cruz Azul was formed in 1927 as an amateur team by the workers of the cement maker Cemento Cruz Azul. The team became professional in 1960 and played in the Mexican second division. They won promotion to the Primera Division in 1964 and won the league title six times between 1970 and 1980.
