CONCACAF Champions League 2018

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The 2018 edition ofn the CONCACAF Champions League starts tomorrow and this seasons renewal see's the introduction of a 16-team 2-legged straight knockout format.

Of the first round of matches above, the match I'm interested in is Honduran side Olimpia who host NY Red Bull; the home side are available at 3/1+ which looks massive to me. If you look at the grid below you'll see that of the 4 matches between Honduran and US sides that I have prices for, the home side has been favourite. Since 2011/12 Olimpia have a home record of 7-3-1 in the CONCACAF Champions League, as well as this the last time a Honduran side lost on home soil was in October 2013 some 14 matches ago. NY Red Bulls away record in the same period is 0-3-2.

Recomended Bet

Olimpia +0.50 @ 1.98 188bet

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Herediano vs Tigres UANL
2018, February 21, 02:00 hrs
CONCACAF Champions League

Herediano
Herediano has Mexican flavor, with Luis Angel Landin, Omar Arellano and Adrian Marin, the team is the leader of the Costarican league, with six matches without defeat at home the team rules the local tournament with a goal difference of +12. Now the team receives Tigres UANL, one of the strongest in Liga MX.

At home the team  has five victories in seven matches with a solid defending only allowing five goals in those seven matches, with four clean-sheets. Altouhgt in last two the team has allowed four goals.

Ladin and Ortiz infront and on the Middlefield Randall Azofeifa are the key players to have in mind as they are the goal scorers of the team.

Tigres UANL
Tigres UANL has been irregular, with two defeats in eight matches, the team should be higher on the standings, but with three draws the team remains on the 10th position in the Mexican League, still just one point from the second position held by Santos Laguna.

At away Tigres tends to focus more on defense and rarely unleash their offensive power, in the four matches they have played at away this season the team is winless and have just scored in one, against Puebla, from there three matches without making a single goal.  Thanks to irregular of Liga MX the team is not far from the top, but need to improve on away or might miss qualification to next stage.

A welcome change will be to have a match in midweek, and I sense the team might field an alternative squad as coach “Tuca” Ferreti has stated many times he does not like international tournament, still has been improving in their overall performance there.

Prediction
The strength of Tigres squad has not been reflect on the scoreline at away, and despite the changes in the lineup for this match, I expect the team to bring a good result back to Monterrey, as an away draw or victory would put them in pole position for the second leg, but it will not be an easy match.

Tigres UANL with 0 AH with 6 units @ 1.87 at 12Bet

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Result:

Herediano 2-2 Tigres UANL

0 Units - Void Bet

Tigres had the lead 0-2 until minute 88, then allowed two goals, via penalty first and corner kick second, for a draw that leaves Herediano with chances for the second leg.

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Just a note @jamiedavies02 the match will not be play in Honduras, due to the politican and social situations that had affected the country, the match will be play on the National Stadium of Costa Rica.

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Motagua vs Tijuana
2018, February 22, 04:00 hrs
CONCACAF Champions League

Motagua
The team is unbeaten at their stadium since December 2016, still this match will be played in Texas instead of Honduras due to political and social situations that has affected the country. Due to that and a series of events the team end on the H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.

The team is unbeaten this year, with 6 victories and 3 draws (all of them at away).  It is yet to see how they will adapt to their temporary home, the team barely has foreign players and relays on national talent for their squad.

Tijuana
After a good start in Liga MX, the team fall hard with two 0-2 defeats, one at home, one at away, the team seem lost, then came Pumas, and the team remained order, focus on defense as they had done since the start of this season and it pay off with a 4-1 victory, where they comeback from an early Pumas goal, to claim a very good victory to provide them with a boost previous to this match in CONCACAF Champions League.

The main aspect is their defense with only 5 goals allowed in 8 matches, only allowed 1 goal to Pumas, which is one of the top scorers of Liga MX.  The team has the full team available and I expect coach Cocca to take advantage of that.

Prediction
Motagua will be the administrative home side but due to the large quantity of Mexicans and Mexicans-Americans in Texas, Tijuana might feel like the home side.  And the quality of Tijuana is stronger than that of Motagua and will be reflected on the pitch

Tijuana with 7 units @ 1.70 with 188Bet

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Deportivo Saprissa vs America
2018, February 22, 02:00 hrs
CONCACAF Champions League

Deportivo Saprissa
In the third position of Primera Division, the team is unbeaten at home, with 5 victories and 1 draw, scoring 13 goals and just allowing 4 goals, under 1 goal per match allowed.

Colindres and Ramirez are  the key offensive players for the team, still both did not score in the last home victory against Municipal Liberia, but in the previous two they did scored. The captain Colindres will not be with the team, as he is suspended from being expelled in last year CONCACAF Champions League match against Pachuca, and is a very sensible absence for the team.

The team might have Michael Barrantes on the bench, but is yet to see if he is fit, he was out in the national derby against Alajuelense.

America
Unbeaten, top of the league, the team is in a very good moment, with three victories in the last five matches, two draws at away. Coach Herrera has made a good managerial job by rotating some players during the match, as the starting one, could be a substitute in the next match and the opposite is true also, in order to keep the competition alive inside the team.

Last match the team remain unbeaten but was in extremis, drawing a the last minute thanks to a goal of Valdez, from a pass of score leader Henry Martin, who is making a great season so far. Another change in the lineup is expected for this match, not that it diminish the quality, but it is expected this time for the playmaking style to remain, as it was the main reason they almost lost last match.

Prediction

 

A full stadium is expected, and they will do their part to make itself hear and feet to the away team. Still America is used to that as in many stadiums in Mexico, at Monterrey or Guadalajara, that is the feeling towards them, and they take a good result last match. It will be A very intense match, the teams knows what is a stake here.

In 2014/2015 in the elimination round between them America won both legs, winning 0-3 the match in Costa Rica with two goals from Oribe Peralta. The quality of all America players is far superior of that of Saprissa, still one should not underestimate their potential, but they have a very strong absence that will affect they playmaking style, therefore the asian handicap holds the value for me.

America -0.25 AH with 9 units @ 2.12 with Dafabet

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12 hours ago, Xcout said:

Just a note @jamiedavies02 the match will not be play in Honduras, due to the politican and social situations that had affected the country, the match will be play on the National Stadium of Costa Rica.

That will explain the variance in my prices and the prices available

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1 hour ago, jamiedavies02 said:

That will explain the variance in my prices and the prices available

Indeed, yet to see what happen. NY Red Bulls has never won on away in CONCACAF Champions League, still only 2 defeats from six away matches.

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Results:

Motagua 0 - 1 Tijuana

+ 4.90 units

Both matches where very attractive, very offensive, Motagua should had score at least twice, and Tijuana at least three times more, there where plenty of scoring chances.

Deportivo Saprissa 1 - 5 America

+10.08 units

America just took advantage of the desesperation Deportivo Saprissa was prey of, went forward to look to equalize, leave spaces on the back that America did not let go to waste.

Day Result: +14.98 units

 

 

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Santa Tecla vs Seattle Sounders
2018, February 23, 04:00 hrs (CET Time)
CONCACAF Champions League - Knockout

Santa Tecla
The team has 21 matches without defeat at home, with a streak of five consecutive matches winning, still it is on away where they struggle and is what has them on the third position of Salvador Primera Division.

The team played a friendly against FC Dallas weeks ago and they draw 1-1, still for FC Dallas was just a friendly during the preseason, meanwhile for Santa Tecla was already in competition, therefore it has to be taken with a grain of salt.

After a good start of the season, where new coach Ruben “Polillita” Da Silva maintained the team unbeaten for five matches with three victories at home, the team was unable to win in their next three matches on away (counting the friendly against FC Dallas), return home and beat Dragon to maintain to the first places of the league.

Seattle Sounders
Has reached playoffs in every season since their inaugural season in 2009, with two consecutive trips to the final, winning first and the losing to Toronto FC last season.

At CONCACAF Champions League the team struggles at away, and has now five matches without a victory, with two consecutive defeats, against Olimpia 1-0 and America 3-1. In both times did not lost the leg at home, still against Olimpia they could proceed to next stage, but against America they where eliminated.

After winning MLS Cup the team knows the next stage is an international title, therefore I expect them to at least in the opening of the competition provide their best and with players like Clint Dempsey, Nicolas Lodeiro and Jordan Morris to obtain a good result here.  Is yet to see how the team is, as this will be their first competitive match, but I sense the quality of Seattle Sounders should impose conditions.

Prediction
A tight match, Santa Tecla is making a good performance at home and is yet to see if they will reflect that in the international level, the match against FC Dallas as being friendly should not be taken with the same weight as a competitive match. I expect Seattle Sounders to put a fierce stand and make their quality impose and obtain a good result, as even a draw is beneficial I consider the asian handicap as the way to go in this match.  

Seattle Sounders -0.25 AH with 7 units @ 1.68 at 18Bet

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Result:

Santa Tecla 2 - 1 Seattle Sounders

-7 units

Seattle continues to struggle on away, and can not take that leap in quality to be contenders for the regional club title. Santa Tecla took advantage of the better competition form and obtained a good results, is yet to see if they can be able to get the need result in seattle.

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Tijuana vs Motagua
2018, February 28, 04:00 hrs (CET Time)
CONCACAF Champions League - Knockout

Tijuana
Win the match in the first leg of this encounter by the minimum and in the weekend draw against America in the Liga MX, positive results after  losing two, return to winning 4-1 at home against Pumas, the leader of the competition at that time, and then obtained these two good results.

This year the team has four victories in five games played, with a defeat against Querétaro, but in general the team has a great success and has a good defense in general at home. Now he receives Motagua in the elimination match of the CONCACAF Champions League, where playing at home Tijuana has four victories from four games played, all of them in 2013 and 2014. Two of those victories were by the minimum, in 2013 against the Firpo and in 2014 against Cruz Azul.

The image Tijuana gave in the game that was an offensive, proactive team that seeks to go forward, although this occasionally allowed Motagua to deploy its playing scheme and achieve scoring changes, but fortunately contain them and did not allow a goal. Tijuana at home, will maintain the same dynamics and has the advantage for the quality of the players and the place of the competition, where the artificial turf of the Stadium Caliente is a point in favor.

Motagua
With five games played this year, the team is undefeated with two wins and three draws, all in their home league. In total, this year has only one game lost, precisely the first leg against Tijuana, the rest in local league, either visitor or local team remains unbeaten and leader of the competition. The weekend did not play match and remained in the north, avoiding the wear and tear of the round trip to Honduras and with the mind set on this match.

The team is obliged to win, if it is for the minimum difference,  to penalties, for any other result to advance to the next phase. It will not be easy, the Mexican teams are above the Honduran, but it should be noted that the good image left in the previous match should be the basis to face this match and get a good result, the last visit of Motagua on Mexican soil was in 2015, where they lost 4-0 to América at Estadio Azteca, this time it was a difference for the rival in Tijuana and will not face the height of Mexico City, it will be at  sea level, which is a positive point for them, as seen in Edinburg, Texas that is 29 meters above sea level.

Defeated in 9 games from 10 games played, on Mexican soil he was 3 defeats in the same number of games. His only victory was in the last match against Walter Ferreti 1-2 in 2015. It should be noted that in 4 of those games he lost by just one goal.

Prediction
I expect an intense match, offensive by teams, the difference is minimum,  a goal can set the trend for the match, which coupled with the need of the visitor can leave open spaces, Tijuana defense at home will be key, but the Motagua shows that it can bring goal chances, as well as quality in defense, an interesting game to see with continuous arrivals.

The need is for Motagua and Tijuana has the best team, but that was not seen in the first game and was close to having been a game with more goals than it finally was, is yet to see how Motagua  will adapt to the artificial turf, which gives Tijuana a little advantage, but considered as the good image given in the first leg, together with a large handicap gives Motagua a moderate stake, since in a loss for the minimum the bet would be charged.

Motagua -1.25 AH with 7 units @ 2.01 at Asianodds

Edited February 28, 2018 by Xcout

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Result:

Tijuana 1 - 1 Motagua

+7.07 units

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Tijuana vs NY Red Bulls
2018, March 05, 04:00 hrs (CET Time)
CONCACAF Champions League - Knockout

Tijuana
The team has five victories in their six matches played in CONCACAF Champions League, in their only encounter with an MLS team, they won 4-2 at home against LA Galaxy back in 2014. Is true they had a draw against Motagua instead of a victory, but they start taking the lead and Motagua provide a very good opposition as has been seen in the first leg at Edinburgh, Texas.

The team has three matches without defeat at home considering all competitions.  And has a streak of five matches without a defeat, remarks that has allow less than one goal in average in last five matches, which is solid defending, and has been able to score in four of those five matches.

Together with their good form another advantage of the team is they artificial turf in Caliente Stadium, that play against some teams as they have to adapt to that playing surface, which is rather different that playing in natural turf.

New York Red Bulls
This will be the first encounter of NY Red Bulls against a Mexican side on CONCACAF Champions League, the team performance on away is bad, as they have yet to claim a victory, sill the team has six draws out of eight matches, with only two defeats, against Canadian teams Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.

It is the first time the club advance to this stage from a knockout round two-legged series, as they had advance but through the group stage.  It is yet to see if the team can adapt to  Caliente Stadium artificial turf if going to act against them as their stadium has natural turf.

 The team continues building their roster for MLS season, as players are yet to debut, with Alejandro Romero and Carlos Rivas yet do so, and also Tim Paker who has just join the team and could play this match, and is yet to see how they will adapt to the team, which provides Tijuana with the edge in that aspect.

Prediction
Tijuana is strong at home, knows they playing style and are delivering a very good defending together with good attack, there is great doubt if NY Red Bulls can deliver at this level, therefore this match is key to that, but with the things seen, Tijuana has the edge and should take a good result here.

Tijuana with 4 units @ 1.65 at Tipico

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Result:

Tijuana 0 - 2 New York Red Bulls

-4 units

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Toronto FC vs Tigres UANL

2018, March 08, 02:00 hrs (CET Time)

CONCACAF Champions League - Knockout

 

Toronto FC

The MLS Champion has had roster continuity, added depth to their roster. The team barely has competitive matches this season, their only three matches have been against MLS teams, the home opener against Columbus Crew, where the team lost 0 - 2, even getting injured key player Vazquez, the team did not reserve any player and carry with a defeat that serious question the team.

 

The team was able to proceed to this stage after winning 0-2 at Colorado Rapids and then holding and scoreless draw at home, then the team is still looking for their first home match win of the season. The team have important players with Giovinco, Altidore, Michael Bradley, the fore mention Vazquez, still is yet to see how they will performa against a team not from MLS.

 

At home in CONCACAF Champions League the team has only 4 victories in their last 10 matches with 4 draws and two defeats. Considering only Mexican teams in that span, The team has two draws and one defeat, last match they played was back in 2012.

 

Tigres U.A.N.L.

The Liga MX Champion, currently in 4th place of Liga MX with five victories in ten matches, three draws and only two defeats, both of them at away. Won their last match at away 0 - 2 against Veracruz, which was their first away match in Liga MX since their scoreless draw against Lobos BUAP in the middle of February 2018.

 

Tigres UANL playing style on away relays on focusing primary on defense and counterattacking,  still the team has the players (Gignac, Edu Vargas, Zelarayan, Jurgen Damn, Enner Valencia),  to be offensive but only get that freedom when needed, coach ¨Tuca¨  Ferreti allows this when they need to tie a score.

 

Considering their away matches in CONCACAF Champions League, in last ten, the team four victories, three draws and three defeats, still two of them was against Mexican teams (America and Pachuca), with the only defeat coming against Plaza Amador back in 2016. 

 

The team arrived to this match after taking Herediano out, letting a 0 - 2 advantage convert to a 2 - 2 draw in Costa Rica, but at home get a 3 - 1 that was enough to get them through.

 

The team will face conditions on the pitch that are not new for them, as they had an knockout series against Vancouver Whitecaps back in 2017, where they go the victory in both legs.

 

Prediction

Interesting match, Tigres will face it with the seriousness it deserves and will field a competitive team, still being at away will make them focus on defense and try to avoid the last result against Herediano where they give up the advantage.

Tigres should get a good result, boost by the fact they are more in form as having already played 11 rounds of Liga MX, meanwhile Toronto FC has only one round and their previous elimination round was against Colorado Rapids that have not even play a MLS match yet. 

 

Tigres UANL 0 AH with 8 units @ 2.13 at Unibet

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Result:

Toronto FC 2 - 1 Tigres UANL

-8 units

Tigres lost the match, but was close to even taking a good away draw. Toronto FC keep pushing and obtain a goal from a fantasy play from Osorio, to achieve a historic victory.

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Toronto FC vs America
2018, April 04, 02:00 hrs (CET Time)
CONCACAF Champions League

Toronto FC
The current champion of MLS, is focus on this match, as they want to achieve international recognition not only for the club, but for the league they represent, as the MLS is looking to rival Liga MX for best league in North America, and while they have close the gap, bringing important players as Dos Santos brothers, Carlos Vela, or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in this decade the league has not been able to win the CONCACAF Champions League, as in this CL era only Mexican teams have win it, only twice have the final not being between two mexican clubs in nine finals.

 

Coach Vanney has stated that their priority is the CONCACAF CL, from three matches in MLS this season, the team has lost twice, once at home against Columbus Crew and away against Montreal, but last weekend the team beat Real Salt Lake.

Toronto FC arrive at this matche after kicking out Tigres UANL, in a series that could be consider Tigres lost it, more than Toronto FC winning, as in the first leg, Tigres was winning 0-1, but end 2-1 conceding a last minute goal, and in the second leg, Tigres had to come from behind and with a goal in minute 93 tied the scored, but due to away goals, thanks to Giovinco second goal in Volcan, Toronto FC proceed.

 

The best weapon Toronto FC has in Sebastian Giovinco, in its four season with Toronto FC after playing for Juventus, Giovinco has established as the goal player for Toronto and together with Altidore makes a deadly couple.

 

America
Tha most successful club in CONCACAF Champions League with seven titles, last two won in the last three years, the team is unbeaten for seventeen matches in CONCACAF Champions League, since 2015 loss against Herediano the team have not lost a match, with five draws in that span, with twelve victories. The team proceed to this stage after trashing Tauro 7-1 in the global score, and before that Saprissa by a 6-2 scoreline.

Currently in 4th position in Liga MX, the team have a comfortable position and a good recent form, therefore they can focus all their energy in this match, in last five matches, the team have four victories, two in Champions League and just a defeat, against Liga MX leader Toluca, besides that, the team have showed offensive power, leaded by Oribe Peralta and Henry Martin, the team has a goal couple, but also goals come from many players.

For this match the team arrives with the best mood posible as in the weekend the team beat Cruz Azul by 1-2, and won once against the Youth Clasico of Mexico City, giving a great performance and continue unbeaten at away.

 

Prediction
Toronto struggle against Tigres UANL, and the playmaking style of that team provide with opportunities that they do not waste, against America that would be very different, America has an established playmaking style and have look composite to be able to handle the matches, either at home and away, and the main focus has been scoring goals to have that control. Toronto also have the offensive power, but their defense also struggles, as they have not get a cleansheet in the last five, meanwhile America has two cleansheets.

 

Toronto FC being at home is consider favorite, which I think is a mistake by the bookies, America has been the best representative of Mexico in this competition and provided good matches at away in Libertadores Cup when they played that competition, and an Asian Handicap in their favor is very generous, as their power in this moment with their good form is going to be too much for Toronto FC to handle, besides have already played in Canada in this competition, was against Montreal Impact in 2015, and they went away with the victory 2-4, therefore I will take the handicap, as an away draw would also be a very good result for America.

 

America 0 AH with 7 units @ 2.34 at 5Dimes
Over 2.5 with 3 units @ 2.24 at 5 Dimes

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Result:

Toronto FC 3 - 1 America

- 7 units

Toronto FC 3 - 1 America = 4 goals

+ 3.72 units

Day Result: - 3.28 units

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America vs Toronto
2018, April 11, 04:00 hrs (CET Time)
CONCACAF Champions League

In the first leg, Toronto won  3-1, in a match where the bad pitch and the environmental conditions where they main factor, but above that, the quick transitions of Toronto in counterattacks, where the key to take the two goal advantage but America had their chances but where unable to get the goals. America dominated the actions, but Toronto where able to take advantage of the scoring chances they got.

America
During the weekend the team play round 14 of Liga MX, where they encounter Necaxa, a thought home side, and yet via penalty the team took the lead, but was not able to hold it, and finished tie 1-1, the team stuck twice the post, one of those a free kick in the last minutes of the match. In a nutshell, America dominated and had the lead, but Necaxa was able to score to equalize, in a match where both goalkeepers where the stars, together with the goalposts.

At home, in the last ten matches, the team has only on defeat, against Toluca, three draws and six victories. The team is strong and solid in house, the team has the offensive power, with Oribe Peralta, Henry Marting and the dynamics of Ibarguen, still their defense sometimes does not perform as they should, as if happened in Toronto.

The Azteca Stadium altitude will not be a key factor, as it has been for the team in previous international encounters, still the team has lower the ticket prices to generate a huge turnout and a solid backing for the home team. At Azteca Stadium the the team has been able to provide important comebacks and provide good performances, and despite the altitude element out, the huge side of the stadium, together with a perfect pitch and a better weather makes things level.

Cecilio Dominguez went out injured in the last match and might miss this match, still America has a large squad and have the quality players to cover its absence.

Toronto FC
In prime position to advance to the final of this tournament. In addition to the two goal lead the team obtained in Toronto, the team has had the backing of MLS, by moving their weekend scheduled match to June, together with the team organization effort having their camp in the city of Pachuca (higher altitude than Mexico City) for a week. The team is doing everything to get thorough to the final.

Having spent a week in Pachuca, in order to get used to the altitude, as to eliminated that factor from the match, and participate in the same conditions, the team has not feel the absences of Victor Vazquez, which has been key for the team.

In front Giovinco, together with Jozy Altidore are the key players that America defense needs to cover, as they have quick transitions and speed to take advantage of the open spaces.

Toronto FC defence has been the key for the team to be on this stage, and consider they team will focus to mantain that, or at least to allowed less goal than what the team scores.

Prediction

A very intense match, America will look to dominate the actions, and with a pitch in perfect conditions, together with a warmer climate I expected them to look more composite that they did in Toronto, meanwhile I expect Toronto focused on defense, but looking hard to take advantage of the counterattacks, which where their best weapon in the first leg. A close encounter, where I see both teams in the same level.

Having their camp in Pachuca is a good step for Toronto, as their focus in this match, still the weather can be quite different in Mexico City than that in Pachuca, but the altitude elements goes out of the picture.

Here the determining factor is America being at home, I sense Toronto FC is in a primer position to get to the next stage and as they did in Monterrey, they can loss the match and still proceed to the final. For that I will only go for the home side victory, whether America will be able to score enough to proceed that is another matter, as with Toronto FC counterattacks, I sense they might score at least one. I expect the odds for the home side to drop as the match gets closer.

America with 8 units @ 1.71 at 1xBet

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Result

America 1 - 1 Toronto FC

-8 units

Toronto FC did what was requiered from them, as they scored an early goal, that give them the edge in this match to laid back and together with a good performance of GK Alex Bono, the team was able to hold almost the entire match without conceding a single goal, with a late penalty saving home performance for America but denying them the Final.

America had 66% of ball posesions, 29 shoots, 7 to goal, many chances where close, but nothing to endanger Toronto FC qualification.