2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup: Semifinals [R]

[Azuran]

Because Pachuca didn't care. They know they're gonna score at least four goals in Hidalgo.

Do I get prize or something?

Anyways, I can't believe I forgot about the game yesterday! Damn, my luck really sucks.

[foxflyer5]

that was a great battle last night. and all the players left everything out on the field. its good see the teams respecting each other for that.

[hereje]

oh yes, great battle, this is the time to show the dynamo that we're still here, we need to be there on sunday.

[Chiquitibum]

ALL-MLS final coming up :D


This was a pretty good game. I didnt see the first game, but Pachuca must have not been trying, cuz they totally dominated this game. I see excuses about the elevation and preseason, but how long was dynamo in Pachuca preparing? 1 day?

Bad mistakes on the part of Pachuca defense. I see Chivas taking advantage of this in the Final. May see lots of goals.

[MoRado]

Good match yesterday on CONCACAF Champions Cup here:

http://otrofutbol.blog.com

dude post your personal comments here, not only links, or you are gonna be considered a blog spammer, as simple as that, we would be happy to have you here, just write your own thing in this boards, you can have a link to your blog in your signature as some posters do

[diclem87]

dude post your personal comments here, not only links, or you are gonna be considered a blog spammer, as simple as that, we would be happy to have you here, just write your own thing in this boards, you can have a link to your blog in your signature as some posters do

sorry, i wouldn´t know this is spam. ok thanks

[ZeekLTK]

I don't see why everyone is saying "I was surprised at how well Houston was able to keep it close until the end"... Pachuca NEVER lead the aggregate until they scored the goal in overtime.

Houston was always winning the aggregate, or tied, throughout the entire 2 game series... until they gave up the final goal...

Pachuca came from behind three times from 0-2, then 2-3, then 3-4... if anything it was them who had to "keep it close".

[...In my defense]

I don't see why everyone is saying "I was surprised at how well Houston was able to keep it close until the end"... Pachuca NEVER lead the aggregate until they scored the goal in overtime.

Houston was always winning the aggregate, or tied, throughout the entire 2 game series... until they gave up the final goal...

Pachuca came from behind three times from 0-2, then 2-3, then 3-4... if anything it was them who had to "keep it close".

very good point, and IMO it illustrates pachuca's class even more.

[uclacarlos]

I don't see why everyone is saying "I was surprised at how well Houston was able to keep it close until the end"... Pachuca NEVER lead the aggregate until they scored the goal in overtime.

Houston was always winning the aggregate, or tied, throughout the entire 2 game series... until they gave up the final goal...

Pachuca came from behind three times from 0-2, then 2-3, then 3-4... if anything it was them who had to "keep it close".
Excellent point. Quoted for truth. Rep owed...

[Eliezar]

This was a pretty good game. I didnt see the first game, but Pachuca must have not been trying, cuz they totally dominated this game. I see excuses about the elevation and preseason, but how long was dynamo in Pachuca preparing? 1 day?

Bad mistakes on the part of Pachuca defense. I see Chivas taking advantage of this in the Final. May see lots of goals.

Houston was playing, and winning, the Caronlina Challenge Cup or over the past week and a half so they were unable to train in elevation.

Pachuca won, /shrug. However, this series was about as even as you can get.

If breaks go the other way it could have been a blow out by Houston (Moreno missing a 1v1 at the end of the first leg, Pachuca's first goal was clearly offside, Pachuca's second PK the player had both of his feed touching the ground outside the box when contact was made, Houston somehow misses two point blank headers in extra time).

The other issue was that Houston was missing their best central defender from last season and their national team defensive midfielder for this game. Houston is lacking something on their back line due to this and they had no bite in the middle of their midfield because of this.

Where Pachuca is better than the Dynamo is depth. Outside of that it was as close as you can get in a 2 game series (4-4 after 180).

Pachuca gives up under a goal per game in Mexico, but the Dynamo put 2 on them in back to back games and in both games looked like they were good for another.

Its an interesting matchup between two very good teams. Hopefully they will meet again sometime soon.

[Eliezar]

The dark spot of the match was the ref, he clearly wasn't up to the level of this game, made too many mistakes against both sides, and you could clearly notice that he was the most nervous person on that pitch. Should Concacaf consider bringing refs from other confederations for these kind of games? I'm sure they won't,, but for the sake of the sport I wouldn't mind if they did in fact consider the possibility.


The ref did an interesting job of managing the game. The first goal was offside but that wasn't his call, there should have been a yellow against Pachuca for a cycical tackle in the first half and a red against Houston in the second, the first houston goal may have been out but that wasn't his call, the second PK the player clearly has both of his feet outside the box when the contact took place.

I thought the officiating was relatively consistent (if it wasn't a yellow in the first it wasn't a red in the second) and that the officiating didn't really determine the series.

Pachuca is a real good team and its great to have them representing concacaf.

[futgod]

Call me corny, and I'm not trying to be like others who turn every game into a US/MX argument, but...

... Last night, after the game was over I some something beautiful... Something I have never seen in a MX/US game.. (Note I said "I" not that it has never happened) let alone a Mex Club vs. US Club... Last night I saw Pachuca players and Houston playeres shaking hands... (and don't say you saw that at the DC/CH match because that was only Benny going way out of his way to shake CH players hands and they were giving him the "yeah whatever" shake...) Nah, these Houston/Pachuca players were patting each other on the back, huggin'... and OH MY GOD, dare I say it? Exchanging jerseys!!!!

Again, I have never seen that before.. EVER.... but man, what a welcomed change... Hope the rest of the Mexican/MLS clubs took notice and follow the good example... and even MX/US MNT.
The reason Chivas didnt shake hands with DCU is cuz all are Mexican and half of them are on the national team so it will be a sin to trade jerseys with any US player. I dont want to see any Mexican player exchange jerseys with any US player during national team games because its a rivalry. This rivalry between US and Mex is the best thing that could happen to the US and Concacaf, games between these two great teams are the type of games anyone in the world would love to see. Can you see Boca-River players exchange jerseys or America-Chivas or other great rivals exchange jerseys, i cant, and i havent seen it. Thats all part of the rivalry theres nothing wrong with a little hatred between teams it makes thing more interesting.

[Popol Vuh]

The reason Chivas didnt shake hands with DCU is cuz all are Mexican and half of them are on the national team so it will be a sin to trade jerseys with any US player. I dont want to see any Mexican player exchange jerseys with any US player during national team games because its a rivalry. This rivalry between US and Mex is the best thing that could happen to the US and Concacaf, games between these two great teams are the type of games anyone in the world would love to see. Can you see Boca-River players exchange jerseys or America-Chivas or other great rivals exchange jerseys, i cant, and i havent seen it. Thats all part of the rivalry theres nothing wrong with a little hatred between teams it makes thing more interesting.
Yeah, half of the Pachuca players are South American.

[dmike]

I guess this brings up an interesting question. Like my Galaxy last year, the Oompa Loompas get victimized with OT because no agg goals rule is on. What's the deal with this?

Anyway the 5-2 scoreline is really deceiving considering the outcome of the series. First 30min the Dynamo just looked intimidated out there. They finally were able to settle down and the game leveled off until the end when Pachuca's form just imposed itself. The 4-2 scoreline wouldn't of been enough but then again its the CONCACAF. Game ends with an incredible goal and the better team prevails. Last year's MLS best and the current MFL best push each other to the limit.

The DC and Chivas game kinda had the worst possible outcome. I honestly expected both of these clubs to put out a incredible series. Chivas looked mediocre and they advance on the oddest of circumstances (Pretty much 2 own goals). DC is gonna have problems this season if they can't find ways to get Emilio and Gomez the ball. Either way incredible goal by Jaime but odd outcome.

[SwissGCZ]

http://www.mediotiempo.com/images/cartones/2/1383g.jpg

[Perndog2006]

Yeah, half of the Pachuca players are South American.

3 of the south american players plays for the colombian national team.... other 2 played for the mexican national team... that shows the much higher level of quality the MFL has over the MLS... alot of foreign players through the MFL play for their respective national teams.. MFL tries to spend the money to bring good players to their league and raise the level of skill throught the MFL... something the MLS needs to fix.. since they keep bringing retirement players... all of this was clearly showed in the 5-2 crushing of houston

[CheveLoco]

now how the game would've looked if Pachuca started this second game with an advantage? they scored 5 against a team defending and trying to play counter...

the defenders were just seeing Alvarez passing by, imagine Pachuca with open spaces:eek:

[la fresa]

why does everyone want the away goal? a goal is a goal. it'll just turn into a bunker fest like the champions league, with away goals rule.


anyway, good game between pachuca and houston. even though houston was scored on 5 times, it was still a close series. does anyone have highlights of the second pk? i didnt think it was that obvious that it was outside the box, thought it was in, but what do i know. it's not that bad, though, houston should have had another pk in the box when mullan (i think it was) stopped a pass with his hand. think there was another hand ball as well, hit two hands if i remember correctly. point is, the ref definitely gave houston breaks as well.

mls has definitely improved, but in the end, mexico is still better, and have two teams in the final again.

[oslomocx2]

mls has definitely improved, but in the end, mexico is still better, and have two teams in the final again.

Both statements are true.

[...In my defense]

I guess this brings up an interesting question. Like my Galaxy last year, the Oompa Loompas get victimized with OT because no agg goals rule is on. What's the deal with this?

Anyway the 5-2 scoreline is really deceiving considering the outcome of the series. First 30min the Dynamo just looked intimidated out there. They finally were able to settle down and the game leveled off until the end when Pachuca's form just imposed itself. The 4-2 scoreline wouldn't of been enough but then again its the CONCACAF. Game ends with an incredible goal and the better team prevails. Last year's MLS best and the current MFL best push each other to the limit.

The DC and Chivas game kinda had the worst possible outcome. I honestly expected both of these clubs to put out a incredible series. Chivas looked mediocre and they advance on the oddest of circumstances (Pretty much 2 own goals). DC is gonna have problems this season if they can't find ways to get Emilio and Gomez the ball. Either way incredible goal by Jaime but odd outcome.

How is it odd? perkins fumbled the game winning shot therefore it is HIS mistake that cost the team the game, not to mention the phantom call that lead to DC's goal at RFK. Honestly that is all irrelevant because no matter how you want to paint it, the better teams won their series but it could've went either way in both games. I actually think DC played better through-out their semifinal series and if anything they deserved to go through but thats all in the past and the superliga will be interesting to say the least.

toodles