Sunday July 6, 2008
TORONTO—MLS side Toronto F.C. fell to current CONCACAF champion Pachuca in penalty kicks as part of Toronto’s inaugural Carlsberg Cup after playing to a 1-1 draw.

The Tuzos next face the Atlanta Silverbacks in the Silverbacks’ annual Copa Amistad at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Tickets are still available for the July 9 exhibition.

The match was Pachuca’s opening contest in the club’s preseason tour of the United States and Canada as it prepares for the SuperLiga, which the Mexican club begins in Los Angeles against Chivas USA on July 13.  

Versus Toronto, the reigning regional champions struggled to find their form, nearly going down a goal in just the fifth minute when the Reds’ Jarrod Smith sailed a shot over Colombian international goalkeeper Miguel Calero’s goal.

A few minutes later Calero was nearly caught out of position after a poor clearance. The TFC shot, however, failed to find its mark.

As the club will do against the Silverbacks, Pachuca fielded its arguably strongest side, incuding new signings Jose Maria Cardenas and Argentinean Bruno Marioni.

As part of Pachuca’s always lethal three-man front line, Marioni nearly put the Mexican club into the lead in the 16th minute, finding himself with the ball at his feet inside the penalty area after Toronto could not clear a curling cross. However, the best he could do was smack the ball off the outside of the post.

Ten minutes later Pachuca nearly put a mark on the score sheet. Forward Damian Alvarez carried the ball into the Toronto area, finding Christian Gimenez on the right side as Reds’ defender Julius James came sliding in to block the shot. The ball, however, was not cleared, giving Gimenez a second opportunity, which was tipped away for a corner kick by a diving Greg Sutton.

Pachuca got on the score sheet at the hour mark off a driven shot inside the TFC penalty area by Brazilian substitute Christian Correa after some sublime passing by the in Toronto’s defensive third. The match was Correa’s first in a Pachuca uniform after signing from Brazilian club Portuguese.

The Pachuca lead, though, only held for nine minutes. James nodded home a Laurent Robert corner kick to level the score and sending the match to penalty kicks. Both teams missed twice in the best of five shoot out, sending it to sudden death, where Toronto’s Kevin Harmes smacked his off the woodwork. Edwin Perez stepped up and converted his kick to give Pachuca the trophy.

Tickets for Wednesday's Copa Amistad match between the Silverbacks and Pachuca are still available. Call 866-GO-BACKS or go to www.atlantasilverbacks.com for more information.