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Played
April 4, 2012 8:00 PM EDT
Estadio Nuevo Corona — Torreón
Referee:‬ J. Pineda‎
Attendance:‬ 26843‎
 
Joao Plata 15′
Joao Plata 43′
 
 
66′ O. Peralta
 
90+2′ Daniel Ludueña
 

Santos Laguna 6-2 Toronto FC (Agg. 7-3): Mexican club pulls away in second half to advance to CONCACAF final

Toronto took a one-goal lead in the first half but was unable to hold on in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal matchup.

Santos Laguna players - Santos Laguna vs. Seattle Sounders
Getty Images
It was fun while it lasted.

Toronto FC took a one-goal lead in the first half but Santos Laguna rallied back with four unanswered goals in the second to hand the MLS side a 6-2 second leg defeat in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals at the Estadio on Wednesday night.

Santos advances to the final with a 7-3 aggregate victory after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw last week in Toronto.

Juan Pablo Rodríguez led Santos with two penalties shortly after halftime to jumpstart the home team following a pair of first-half goals from U.S. international Herculez Gomez. Oribe Peralta and Daniel Ludueña rounded out Santos' high-scoring performance.

Toronto's Joao Plata scored twice in the first half.

The game was much like Santos' victory over the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of their quarterfinal matchup, as the Mexican team scored four goals in the second half to walk away with a 6-1 victory last month to advance in the tournament.

Following a physical first leg that nearly ended in a brawl, Toronto proved that it could play in the hostile environment as the 5-foot-2 Plata scored on a header in the 15th minute.

Gomez, who has been on fire recently, tied it in the 31st when the American ripped a right-footed shot into the back of the net. It was only a matter of time before Toronto struck again.

For the second time, the smallest player on the field made a big impact as Plata used his right foot to beat Oswaldo Sanchez in the 43rd minute.

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Gomez tied it up in injury time before the break. And the rest of the game belonged to Santos.

Rodriguez stepped up for penalty kicks in the 56th and 64th minutes. Julian de Guzman was behind the first takedown and Toronto assistant coach Bob De Klerk was thrown out for yelling at the referees after the play.

In the 66th minute Peralta put the game away with a short shot. Ludueña added the icing on the cake a couple minutes into injury time.

The Reds could still hold their heads up high as they have gone further than any other Canadian club in CONCACAF Champions League history.


Santos Laguna

1
Oswaldo Sánchez
Goalkeeper
 - 
4
 - 
14
Aaron Galindo
Defender
 - 
23
 - 
-
J. Olvera
Defender
26′
 - 
6
Marc Crosas
Midfielder
31′
 - 
58
 - 
-
Daniel Ludueña
Midfielder
92′
 - 
13
C. Suárez
Striker
56′ 71′
 - 
16
 - 
24
O. Peralta
Striker
61′ 66′
 - 

Toronto FC

 - 
-
Milos Kocic
Goalkeeper
 - 
-
M. Aceval
Defender
55′ 68′
 - 
5
 - 
-
Ty Harden
Defender
 - 
27
 - 
-
 - 
11
Luis Silva
Midfielder
 - 
23
Terry Dunfield
Midfielder
58′
 - 
7
Joao Plata
Striker
15′ 43′ 64′
 - 
-
 - 
-

Substitutes

25
Miguel Becerra
Goalkeeper
 - 
-
 - 
-
 - 
17
 - 
-
C. Morales
Midfielder
26′ 92′
 - 
-
 - 
-
C. Ochoa
Striker
68′
 - 

Substitutes

 - 
-
Brian Rowe
Goalkeeper
 - 
4
 - 
-
Adrian Cann
Defender
 - 
-
Aaron Maund
Defender
 - 
-
 - 
19
 - 
-
J. Burgos
Midfielder

Coach/Manager

-
 - 

Coach/Manager

 - 
-
 
  • Goal
  • Own Goal
  • Penalty
  • Penalty Missed
  • Yellow Card
  • Assist
  • Penalty Save
  • Penalty Shootout Goal
  • Penalty Shootout Miss
  • Yellow Card / Red Card
  • Red Card
  • Substitution IN
  • Substitution OUT
  • Injury
  • Goal.com Rating
  • Goal.com Man of the Match
  • Goal.com Flop of the Match
  • Top & Flop Global Ranking
  • Fans' Man of the Match
  • Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Group 1 Matchday 1
Times In EDT
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
N. Muñoz N. Muñoz
Striker
A.D. Isidro Metapán
6 1
C. Quintero C. Quintero
Striker
Santos Laguna
6 0
A. De Nigris A. De Nigris
Striker
Monterrey
5 0
H. Suazo H. Suazo
Striker
Monterrey
5 0
Samuel Ochoa Samuel Ochoa
Striker
Seattle Sounders
4 0