Santos Gave Title Away, Says 'Keeper Oswaldo Sanchez

Santos had everything for the taking but came away with nothing.

May 23, 2010 11:59:00 PM

More On :  Santos Laguna
Oswaldo Sanchez- Santos Laguna (Mexsport)
Toluca won their 10th Mexican league title - and eighth short-season crown - in beating Santos Laguna via penalties in the Bicentenario 2010 final, but this one should have an asterisk next to it.

Santos, after all, gave away the series and all but handed Toluca the trophy, said Santos' Oswaldo Sanchez.

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Santos led 3-1 after three rounds of penalties and had two opportunities to score the series-clinching goal. But Matias Vuoso missed the goal in his club's fourth attempt while Carlos Adrian Morales went wide right on the club's fifth PK. Fernando Arce's subsequent attempt was blocked and Santos' title hopes vanished.

"I believe it could be said that Santos lost the final, and that Toluca did not win it," Sanchez told reporters. "Based on how the game was and the penalties, that's what I feel like happened."

Despite playing what their players said was a better game throughout the 120 minutes of regulation and extra time, Santos were left with nothing to show for it. Santos went into the match well-prepared to do battle and showed their style was strong and effective even though they did not score a goal during regulation and extra time.

Santos should have been the team celebrating at Estadio Nemesio Diez, Sanchez said.


"Everything was in place for a championship. The team came here, attacked, I believe we had more chances and in the end it's decided in penalties," he said. "We had two opportunities to win it but we couldn't."

Santos penalties were atrocious and as such the team was left with heartache.

"They were left with the title because they were definitive with their penalties," Sanchez said. "We had two chances to be champion and we couldn't do it. You can never get overconfident and never feel like you have it in hand because you have to finish it. Unfortunately, we could not finish our chances. That's how it is. We all failed."

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