TORONTO – Real Salt Lake qualified for the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League after a 66th-minute equalizer by midfielder Javier Morales gave them a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC at BMO Field on Tuesday night.
That result, coupled with Cruz Azul’s 2-0 victory over Árabe Unido in Tuesday’s other Group A match, also officially eliminated TFC from the tournament.
Both RSL and Cruz Azul have an insurmountable 10 points in the group stage with one more matchday remaining. Toronto have five points, while Árabe Unido have three.
Toronto gave the BMO Field crowd hope early Tuesday, though, when midfielder Jacob Peterson opened the scoring for the home side on a counterattack in the 20th minute after goalkeeper Jon Conway spotted the streaking midfielder at the midfield stripe with a brilliant side-armed throw.
Peterson avoided a hard slide tackle by RSL’s Canadian international midfielder Will Johnson and then raced toward the opposition goal, ripping a hard left-footed blast past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
Conway, who started the match in place of Toronto usual No. 1 Stefan Frei, earned an assist on the play and also exposed a pressing RSL back four with a pinpoint bomb worthy of an NFL quarterback.
The visitors from Utah seemed to settle in the opening minutes of the second half, retaining possession and beginning their usual patient and methodical buildup.
But Toronto leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario had two chances to give the Reds a commanding lead.
In the 56th minute, he narrowly missed converting a hard centering pass, which was spilled by Rimando. A minute later, the RSL ‘keeper was forced to push away a long-distance effort by the Canadian international.
Nine minutes later, Real Salt Lake were rewarded for Jason Kreis’ meticulous player rotation leading up the match when midfielder Robbie Findley was fouled by Toronto’s Julian de Guzman at the top of the Toronto penalty area.
RSL captain Kyle Beckerman lined up for the kick, but second-half substitute Morales surprised Conway and the Toronto defense when his teammate stepped over the ball, leaving him to bury the equalizer.
Morales had just returned to action after a four-game absence with a quad strain and was listed as questionable ahead of the game before replacing forward Collen Warner at halftime.
Now officially ousted in their first foray into CCL play, Toronto turn their attention back to their slim MLS playoff hopes when they travel to Seattle on Saturday. RSL, who have already clinched a playoff berth, visit New England.
Group A action concludes on Oct. 19 when Toronto play host to Panama’s Árabe Unido while Cruz Azul travel to Utah to take on RSL.
