Toluca scraped through to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday evening against the San Jose Earthquakes, but Diablos Rojos coach Jose Cardozo was left with a bitter taste in his mouth about the MLS side’s style.
“(San Jose’s players) were all just sat back,” opined Paraguayan Cardozo in the postgame press conference. “Here (in Mexico), they say soccer has grown a lot in the United States, but I honestly don’t know in what way.”
Cardozo suggested San Jose had little style and “launched one thousand long balls” during Wednesday’s match in the Estadio Nemesio Diez, which Toluca won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes and no goals in extra time.
Toluca is currently second in the Liga MX and dominated possession against San Jose, but the American side was able to create opportunities and, TV replays showed, was unlucky to have a late goal disallowed.
“They just came to defend and wager on (scoring from) a set piece and that is how it was,” continued Cardozo. “I go home happy with the boys’ effort, we know that it would be like that because they didn’t risk anything.”
Toluca will play the winner of Thursday’s CCL quarterfinal between Arabe Unido and Alajuelense in the semifinal.