Trouble continues for Toronto FC’s CONCACAF Champions League Group C rival Pumas UNAM.
The 2010-2011 Mexican Clausura champion dropped to fifth in the 2011-12 Apertura standings in the Mexican first division, with a 2-1 loss to Cruz Azul on Sunday.
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<strong>VIDEO: Toronto's last visit to Mexico - September 21, 2010 v. Cruz Azul.</strong> |
Pumas’ Martin Bravo equalized at the 21st minute after Geraldo Flores Zuniga had given Cruz Azul the 1-0 lead four minutes earlier.
Pumas had dominated much of the play but were humbled at home by Adrian Cortes just 15 minutes from regulation, with Cruz Azul taking maximum points at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
This was the second straight loss for Pumas in the Apertura after starting on a six-game unbeaten streak. They are now winless in four league matches with two draws preceding the losses to Cruz Azul on Sunday and Puebla seven days earlier.
In CCL, Pumas lost their first match 1-0 to Dallas at home, before drawing away to 10-man Tauro in Panama. Head coach Martin Vasquez has pursued a youth policy in the Champions League but he hasn’t received a desired outcome.
Toronto visits Mexico City on September 14 for the third round of Group C matches for the Reds and Pumas. If Vasquez’ squad continues to struggle in the Mexican league, he could once again field a weakened team in the Champions League with a match against Toluca – who are just one point back of Pumas in Mexico – scheduled four days after Toronto’s visit.
Dallas leads Group C with six points from two matches, Toronto is second with three, while Pumas and Tauro have one point each. Top two teams after six round robin matches will advance to the quarterfinals in March.
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