There are only four teams left in the race to be crowned kings of CONCACAF, as well as earning a ticket to the Club World Cup in the winter of 2018. On Tuesday, Club América travels to Toronto for one of the most anticipated semifinal clashes we’ve seen in the tournament in quite some time.
Here is a breakdown of Tuesday’s Liga MX vs MLS clash…
How they got here
Mexico’s giant in Club América is entering the semifinals after a bruising beatdown of Panama’s FC Tauro. Leading up to the quarterfinal matches, many thought FC Tauro was primed for a run after beating FC Dallas, yet, América was not having any of it. After two matches, América blasted through seven goals in their favor, while letting in only one.
Toronto FC, on the other hand, had a bigger task in taking on Tigres from Mexico, who was the Mexican league reigning champion. Despite only winning the home leg, Toronto’s road goals gave them the boost to the semifinal although the aggregate was tied, 4-4.
Key player for América: Mateus Uribe
For Mexico, it’s their workhorse of a midfielder in Mateus Uribe. The Colombian has been on fire for América and he even transferred that to international duties, being a huge part of Colombia’s 3-2 win over France last week.
His composure on the ball and intelligent positioning makes him a nightmare for opposing teams. If América wants to go back home with a comfortable lead, they will need Uribe to be dominant in the midfield, as he has been doing all along for the Mexican side.
Key player for Toronto FC: Sebastian Giovinco
This one comes as no surprise, as Sebastian Giovinco has proven to be the lifeline for the MLS club. His ability to splice a defense and find the open player is a real gift. Moreover, he has a real gift for the freekick, which is something we saw against Tigres in the quarterfinals.
For Toronto FC to be successful, Giovinco will need to be on his game. He is their go-to man and their ability to take down teams starts with his threatening presence and ability.
Tuesday’s semifinal match starts at 5:00 p.m. Pacific, 8:00 p.m. Eastern from BMO Stadium in Toronto, Canada.
