By JOEY SAMUEL
Toronto FC managed to keep their chances of reaching the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals alive on Tuesday night, but only just barely.
Missing several key players, including captain Torsten Frings, TFC managed to draw Mexican power Pumas UNAM 1-1 at BMO Field. The draw kept them alive in Group C, but now TFC is going to need help to have a hope of playing a win-or-bust match-up against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park on Oct. 18th.
Peri Marosevic provided the goal for Toronto, finishing off a perfect pass from Danny Koevermans in the 35th minute, but Pumas find an equalizer in the second half on a Mauro Palacios header off a corner kick.
The draw pulls Toronto FC even with FC Dallas in Group C with eight points. Pumas leads the group with eight points, and can secure a place in the quarterfinals with a win at home against Tauro. That likely leaves one quarterfinal place for the two MLS teams and regardless of the FC Dallas result on Wednesday against Tauro FC, Toronto FC will need a win vs. FC Dallas next month to advance to the quarterfinals.
It was Pumas who seemed to be the more dangerous side early. A careless giveaway by Toronto midfielder Nick Soolsma led to a chance for Pumas' Michelle Castro, but the Reds' backup goalkeeper Milos Kocic managed to keep the game scoreless. Later in the first half, Diego De Buena's effort hit the left post and Toronto were reeling.
Peri Merosevic then surprisingly put the Reds up a goal in the 35th minute after being set up by striker Danny Koevermans. Toronto was not able to hold on to their lead, though, as Pumas defender Mauro Palacios equalized early in the second half when he headed the ball past Kocic.
Toronto's depleted lineup, also without the likes of Joao Plata, Eric Avila, and Terry Dunfield, would have to withstand several waves of pressure from Pumas during the course of the second half as the Mexicans looked to find a winner that would seal their passage into the knockout stages. With just ten minutes left, UNAM almost scored the goal they needed when a shot was almost deflected into the net by Toronto defender Andy Iro.
The Reds would hold on for a valuable point, though, with Kocic making a quality save in stoppage time on a Javier Cortes free kick.
