Not that they needed a reminder that theyB次元官网网址檙e a long way from home, but Toronto FC players had an alligator crash their practice in Florida on Monday.
B次元官网网址淎ll I can tell you is this B次元官网网址� there was an alligator, a massive alligator,B次元官网网址� Toronto coach Chris Armas said. B次元官网网址淎nd my players are running towards the alligator as I went the other way. Listen we talk about fearless and aggressive round here, but I thought we would not think about that at that moment.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 maybe par for the course here in Florida, when youB次元官网网址檙e by the water, but I think it was cool for the guys to see really up-close and personal. It was kind of a cool way to start training.B次元官网网址�
On Monday, the club posted a photo of striker Jozy Altidore observing the alligator from a safe distance as it wandered past someone in a nearby golf cart.
TFC, which is based out of Orlando due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, will welcome a different kind of foe Tuesday when MexicoB次元官网网址檚 Cruz Azul comes to visit in the first leg of their Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal.
The game is to be held behind closed doors at TampaB次元官网网址檚 Raymond James Stadium, home to the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second leg is scheduled for May 4 at Mexico CityB次元官网网址檚 historic Azteca Stadium.
Cruz Azul (13-2-1) tops the Liga MX standings and is coming off a 3-2 win Saturday over Atletico San Luis. After losing the first two games of the season by 1-0 scores, it has gone unbeaten in 16 games (14-0-2) in all competitions.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been hard to beat,B次元官网网址� said Armas. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been on quite a run. TheyB次元官网网址檙e a powerful team. TheyB次元官网网址檙e a team that plays very direct, which makes it very difficult.
B次元官网网址淲e do know it will be about field position B次元官网网址� and understanding where they want to play the game and how they get there. So easier said than done but we think we have a good understanding of what weB次元官网网址檒l be up against. ItB次元官网网址檚 really about us and executing now.B次元官网网址�
Toronto, in contrast, has garnered just one point from its first two games of the MLS regular season, losing 4-2 to CF Montreal and tying Vancouver 2-2.
Toronto dispatched MexicoB次元官网网址檚 Club Leon 3-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 of CONCACAFB次元官网网址檚 flagship club competition, tying 1-1 in Leon and then winning 2-1 in Florida despite an injury-riddled roster.
Cruz Azul downed Arcahaie FC 8-0 on aggregate in its round-of-16 tie, bouncing back from a scoreless first leg to thump the Haitian side in the rematch at Azteca. Seven different Cruz Azul players scored against Arcahaie, which had beaten CPL champion Forge FC in the CONCACAF League feeder competition.
Toronto will face the Mexican side without Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo, who remains sidelined with a right thigh issue.
B次元官网网址淣ot quite there,B次元官网网址� Armas said of the designated player, who was due to undergo some imaging Monday.
The good news is French centre back Chris Mavinga is back training after a calf issue that has kept him out of action to date. Armas said the club would be prudent in not rushing him back, however.
TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Michael Bradley, Mark Delgado and Ralph Priso go into the match on yellow cards, meaning they will miss the second leg if they get another.
Also Monday, Toronto confirmed the signing of Venezuelan winger Yeferson Soteldo as its third designated player.
Founded in 1927, Cruz Azul has won the CONCACAF Champions League six times B次元官网网址� most recently in 2014 B次元官网网址� and finished runner-up twice. It has a loyal following with 1.8 million followers on Twitter and 753,000 on Instagram (compared to 411,500 and 230,000 for TFC).
CRUZ AZUL at TORONTO FC
At Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Kickoff is 10 p.m. ET.
CRUZ AZUL HISTORY: The Mexican side is 6-4-1 against MLS opposition in Champions League play. But its first ever defeat against MLS opposition was a 2-1 loss in Toronto in the 2010-11 group stage. The teams subsequently tied 0-0 in Mexico City. In 2020, it lost 2-1 to Los Angeles FC in a single-game quarterfinal.
TFC HISTORY: Toronto is 5-7-5 against Mexican opposition in the Champions League. In 2018, Toronto ousted both Tigres UANL and Club America before falling to Chivas Guadalajara in the final on a penalty shootout.
B次元官网网址擭eil Davidson, The Canadian Press
