Chivas USA earned a 1-1 tie with Tauro F.C. of Panama in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round, leaving the Panama City side the winners on total goals by a 3-1 margin. Tauro advances to a group that includes Santos Laguna of Mexico, Municipal of Guatemala, and the winner of tomorrow night’s match between Alajuelense of Costa Rica and the Puerto Rico Islanders.
Forward Roberto Nurse scored his first goal for the club in the 42nd minute, giving the team a 1-0 lead and pulling the Red-and-White within one goal on the aggregate score. A long ball into the box was headed across the goal mouth by Justin Braun, and Nurse took the ball down before firing low and into the net.
Luis Moreno gave Tauro the important away goal in the 62nd minute, when his shot was nearly saved by Dan Kennedy in the Chivas USA net before it struck the post and spun into the net. Chivas USA pushed for more goals, and piled 14 shots on the Tauro F.C. frame, but could not find the net again before the final whistle.
Chivas USA Head Coach Preki, on the match: “We tried to push forward here – we had to win this game. I wish them good luck. We are just having a tough time scoring goals… we created chances but it doesn’t really matter. I’m disappointed.”(For a full quote sheet, please visit http://www.cdchivasusa.com/.)
Chivas USA will now travel to face Toronto FC on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT). The match will be broadcast live on TeleFutura and FSN Prime Ticket, as well as W Radio 690 AM. Chivas USA will be without Kljestan and Thomas, with their national teams, and Atiba Harris due to yellow-card accumulation.
After last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Toronto FC at home, Chivas USA sits in third place in the Western Conference, the last guaranteed playoff spot in the division. There are eight games remaining on the schedule for the Red-and-White, who are looking for a third straight berth in the playoffs.
PHOTOS: JUAN MIRANDA/CHIVAS USA
