1.- Pumas 2.- Toronto 3.- Dallas 4.- Tauro I think Toronto will focus in this tournament rather than the MLS
Agreed. I think Dallas is going to take the group, in very RSL-like fashion. 1 - Dallas 2 - Pumas 3 - Toronto 4 - Tauro I also think that Pumas needs to watch out for Toronto, they are only focusing on this now and the last group they had was filled with 3 pretty weak teams.
Agreed x4 - Pumas is in great form right now, and Dallas should have enough to outlast the other two teams. If Toronto can pull off another home upset against Pumas (like they did against Cruz Azul lat year, Dallas could win this group.
Just for completeness: 1. Pumas 2. Dallas 3. Tauro 4. Toronto Though Toronto will be most focused on this tournament, as they will be out of the playoff chase, and the other 3 teams will have league worries. Still, they may spring as upset, but I still think they finish 4th.
1. Pumas 2. Dallas 3. Tauro 4. Toronto UNAM starting off real strong in league this year definetly a contender for this years title
http://www.concacaf.com/page/CL/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2414237,00.html Wednesday, August 17 Pumas UNAM (MEX) vs. FC Dallas (USA), 10 p.m. Thursday, August 18 Tauro (PAN) vs. Toronto FC (CAN), 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 24 Toronto FC (CAN) vs. FC Dallas (USA), 8 p.m. Thursday, August 25 Tauro (PAN) vs. Pumas UNAM (MEX), 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 14 FC Dallas (USA) vs. Tauro (PAN), 8 p.m. Pumas UNAM (MEX) vs. Toronto FC (CAN), 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 20 Toronto FC (CAN) vs. Tauro (PAN), 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 21 FC Dallas (USA) vs. Pumas UNAM (MEX), 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 27 Toronto FC (CAN) vs. Pumas UNAM (MEX), 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 28 Tauro (PAN) vs. FC Dallas (USA), 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 18 FC Dallas (USA) vs. Toronto FC (CAN), 8 p.m. Wednesday, October 19 Pumas UNAM (MEX) vs. Tauro (PAN), 10 p.m. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=24074557&postcount=18
This is what the group will come down to. Toronto's new European acquisitions are going to be in for quite a shock when they try to run at extreme altitude in the D.F., in extreme heat at Dallas, and in extreme puddles during the Panamanian rainy season.
I think people are selling TFC short. They've started to look better recently and as others have said, this is all they have to play for. If they did make the knockout stages, it would probably be at FCD's expense, though, so I'll be hoping y'all are right. It's pretty tough to imagine Pumas not getting through even if they are playing lots of reserves and development players. I'm pretty excited about tonight's game (and the return leg in Dallas, which I'll definitely be attending). I predicted 2-1 FCD on our boards and I'll stick with it.
Word out of Dallas is the Ferrieira is hoping for a September return. The return of the MLS MVP would really help Hoops' chances in this group. Big game tonight with Pumas hosting FCD.
? Am I reading that right? Is Dallas ahead in the Universitario? You'd figure that Jorge Campos' former backup would be pretty motivated to take at least a point there. And if Dallas wins or ties, that will be a better result in Mexico City than Jason Kreis' team had.
awesome, Dallas. toughest game of the six and you get a win. I'm trying to figure out a logical path that gets the two MLS teams through, but unless Tauro steals points from UNAM and only UNAM, it's going to be tough. Dallas getting all 6 from UNAM + TFC getting 4 + the two MLS teams splitting their home games and getting 6 each from Tauro? 15 for Dallas, 13 for TFC. that seems...unlikely, for us.
I'd love to see TFC make it through (as long as it isn't at FCD's expense), but I agree, it will be tough. Now that tonight has happened, it will be interesting to see how strong of a team Pumas plays against you guys and when they come to The Oven.
Maybe Dallas and Toronto can form an alliance so that both of them go through to the knockout stage. Not sure how exactly it would work, but if both did well enough, I guess they can just "pass the ball around" when facing each other, and give themselves both a point and deny the other foreign teams entry into the knockout stage. I doubt the people in charge of MLS would complain. Funny how I see this competition as a USA vs Mexico thing rather than hoping an individual club wins. First priority is to knock out all the foreign clubs, and then go for the title.
The problem with isn't the logic, but the strength of TFC's squad. The key to both MLS teams advancing is taking 6 from Tauro. If they each do that: Dallas: 9 + Pumas, TFC, @TFC TFC: 6 + Pumas, @Pumas, @FCD, FCD Pumas: 6 + @FCD, @TFC, TFC Tauro = 0 and no games left. If TFC takes 4 from Pumas (like they did Cruz Azul last year), then they are in IF they get 1 point against Dallas or Pumas fails to win @FCD. IF TFC takes 3 or 2 from Pumas, then TFC will need more from their 2 games with FCD than Pumas gets with 1 game @FCD. If TFC takes 1 from Pumas, then they'll need 4 from their Dallas games and a Pumas loss at Dallas. If TFC doesn't get points against Pumas, then they need help from Tauro against Pumas.