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Santos And Toluca For The Final Spot
Santos Laguna is obligated to win at any cost to advance to their second straight final, but they face the difficult task of accomplishing that feat against a solid Toluca side who have made a fortress of their home.
Dec 6, 2008 8:36:13 PM
Who: Toluca vs. Santos
What: Apertura 2008 Semifinals, 2nd Leg
When: Sunday, December 7, 2008
10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET
Where: Estadio Nemesio Díez,
Toluca, México
This Sunday the second participant of the Final of the Torneo Apertura 2008 will be decided, when the Diablos Rojos of Toluca host current champ Santos Laguna in the inferno of "La Bombonera."
In the first leg, Toluca not only rescued a valuable result but they did it playing practical football which allowed them to control and subdue the powerful Santos offense.
The choriceros know that they are a step away from the Final and they will employ their organized, solid formation to guarantee a spot in the championship game.
Goalkeeper Hernán Cristante, will aim to increase his record 746 minutes without conceding a goal not for personal glory, but to assure that his side continues in contention of the title.
For their part, Santos Laguna must look for a well-balanced performance which will allow them to attack in search of the victory while not loosing sight of their defense.
Coach Daniel Guzmán must take precautions in his formation to not concede spaces, and hope that his offensive trio of Daniel Ludueña, Cuauhtémoc Blanco y Vicente Matías Vuoso work their magic on the offensive end.
The responsibility of preserving the zero once again falls on captain goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez, whose impressive saves in the first encounter have kept the current champ alive in the series.
Santos Laguna is obligated to look for the victory at all costs to continue to defend their title.
However, they must avoid conceding many spaces in the process because the Diablos are more than capable of effectively exploiting them in any counterattacks.
Once again key in the playoffs is the imposing Estadio Nemesio Díez, where Toluca count with the impressive support of their faithful and league leading record of only one defeat in the regular season.
Toluca has came out on top in the past three encounters against Santos, but the last time the Torreón side defeated the Diablos was one year ago in the Apertura 2007 at "La Bombonera."
-- César García covers México for Goal.com.
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