The challenge is daunting, the opponent unique.
But Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley is confident his team can bounce back from a 2-1 deficit in the opening leg to knock off Chivas de Guadalajara in the Concacaf Champions League final with the second leg at Estadio Akron tonight (9:30 pm ET; TSN in Canada | UniMás, UDN, go90.com in US).
“We’re halfway done,” Bradley told the Toronto Sun on Monday night. “Anyone writing any articles as if things are over, that’s their prerogative. We’re at halftime. We’re going to play, be aggressive, try to score goals, we’re going to press … We’re going to go for it.”
Toronto FC will need at least two away goals to become the first MLS team to win the CCL title and end Mexico’s nine-year reign, but there are unique challenges to create scoring opportunities against Chivas.
“There aren’t many teams in the world” that play like Chivas, Bradley said.
There’s a pride in a man-marking style for a Chivas team that has yet to concede at Estadio Akron in the competition.
But that doesn’t mean chances can’t be created.
“That can mean a pass, a defender moving with the ball into that space. There are big opportunities,” Bradley said. “Nobody is trying to make this out to be mission impossible."
Be sure to read the full story from Kurt Larson here.
