If every SuperLiga final is like Wednesday's championship match at The Home Depot Center, then the new battle for the championship of North America has a very bright future. But it's a club from Mexico that has the honor of being crowned the inaugural champion, as CF Pachuca weathered a dramatic bicycle-kick equalizer in second half stoppage time before defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy in a penalty shootout.
Pachuca dominated the run of play in the first half and was the beneficiary of a Peter Vagenas own goal, before Chris Klein's heroics seconds before regulation time ran out sent the game into extra time. After the additional half hour, the game went to penalties, where Pachuca prevailed 4-3.
Despite the fact that ticket sales were capped at 12,500 for the match, the atmosphere was absolutely electric from the start. The energy in the stadium translated to the players on the field as both teams came out playing a very fast paced game.
The speed of play seemed to favor Pachuca, who kept constant pressure on the Galaxy midfield, forcing turnovers and controlling the majority of possession. As a result the majority of early scoring chances fell to the Mexican side.
As early as the fifth minute, Pachuca had their attack rolling. Left fullback Fausto Pinto made a long run up the flank to the end line before cutting a pass back into the middle. Juan Carlos Cacho was standing there waiting for the pass, but his first-time shot missed the target high and wide.
The Galaxy tried to answer right back just two minutes later. Carlos Pavon flicked a long clearance by Joe Cannon onto the run of David Beckham. Beckham, playing on the right flank, saw Donovan making a move towards the back post and put a cross right on his head, but Donovan missed high.
From that point on it was all Pachuca. In the 16th minute Pachuca earned a free kick from about 35 yards out. Christian Gimenez stepped over the free kick and attempted to play a cross into the middle. The cross turned into a shot however as it managed to find its way through traffic, forcing a diving save from Cannon.
As the game approached the half-hour mark, the field started to really tilt towards the Galaxy goal. Marvin Cabrera made a diagonal run into the penalty area before dishing off to Gimenez. From close range, and with no defenders near him, Gimenez looked to have Cannon dead to rights, but missed high with his shot.
Less than a minute later, Pachuca got on the board. Gimenez worked a beautiful one-two with Cacho on the left, and the move put Gimenez in behind the Galaxy back four. As Gimenez centered the ball, a retreating Vagenas attempted to clear, but instead knocked it into his own goal.
Only poor finishing prevented the game from really getting out of hand as the first half wore on. On two separate occasions Damian Alvarez was sent in on goal as the Pachuca's midfield dissected the Galaxy defense with intelligent passes.
On the first attempt Alvarez ran into the box, and then cut towards the middle, evading both Mike Randolph and Abel Xavier. Alvarez missed wide of the post, however, with his shot. Alvarez was put through a second time minutes later and even though he put his shot on target, Cannon came up with the save.
The missed opportunity that Pachuca perhaps rued the most came just before the half ended. Alvarez this time played the role of provider, driving a cross along the face of the goalmouth. Carlos Rodriguez ran onto the ball at the back post and seemingly had an empty net to shoot into, but Cannon made an impossible save, falling into the net as he punched the ball away.
Thanks to the heroics of Cannon, the Galaxy managed to go into the locker room with a glimmer of hope. But they would have to try and mount a comeback without Beckham, who left the match in the 33rd minute with a knee sprain. Beckham had suffered a hard tackle in midfield early in the game, then was clattered into by Fernando Salazar in the left corner. Immediately Beckham signaled to the Galaxy bench that he would need a substitute.
The Galaxy came out more composed to start the second half, and started to possess the ball better. The improved form paid off, and the Galaxy had the first chance of the second half. Donovan drew a free kick from 23 yards straight out from goal. Donovan managed to put his shot on target, but Calero was equal to the task, diving to his right to snare the ball.
Pachuca cut apart the Galaxy defense again in the 60th minute with a well-timed run, and a better pass. This time it was Gimenez set loose on Cannon, but Chris Klein did not give up on the play. The LA right back tracked back and harassed Gimenez just enough to cause him to lose the ball before he could get off a shot.
The Galaxy attack continued to improve, and nearly leveled terms in the 64th minute. Klein whipped in a cross to Donovan, who directed a header down and towards the corner. Calero again was there to make a remarkable save, redirecting the shot around the outside of the post.
Possession started to favor Pachuca again towards the final quarter hour of the match, as the Mexican side continued to have little trouble in exposing the spaces between defenders. In the 77th minute, Alvarez fed Rafael Marquez Lugo as he raced alone into the area. Lugo tried to get the ball past Cannon with the outside of his right boot, but missed wide of the back post.
The Alvarez to Lugo connection almost hooked up again minutes later. Lugo received a cross at the back post from Alvarez, but was stonewalled by Cannon on his first time shot. The rebound came back out to him, but Troy Roberts was somehow able to keep it out before all but colliding with the goalpost.
The Galaxy didn't give up and in the 86th minute again came within inches of equalizing. Klein crossed the ball, and the pass somehow managed to find its way through traffic to Donovan at the back post. Donovan's shot was saved by Calero, but the ball trickled behind him, and rolled just wide of the post.
The Galaxy found their equalizer at the death. Pushing numbers forward, Mike Randolph hit the crossbar with a header. The ball bounced straight up into the air and was cleared away but not out of the box. A second clearance attempt fell to Klein, who buried a bicycle kick from about eight yards out to even up the score and send it into overtime.
It only took five minutes into the first extra period for Pachuca to try and put their stamp on the game. Luis Gabriel Rey dribbled into the area and worked himself free of the defense, but missed the target from close range.
Three minutes later Cannon was forced to save what looked surely to be a second own goal on the night. Xavier deflected a cross, and the ball looked destined for the back of the net, but Cannon made a diving fingertip save to keep the score level.
As the second overtime period began, the Galaxy turned things around, and was the team creating on the offensive end. In the 112th minute, Cobi Jones sprung Edson Buddle for a breakaway. Buddle dribbled in, but was closed down by a defender who deflected his shot wide for a corner.
With the game level after 120 minutes, the dreaded penalty shootout arrived -- Pachuca having survived one in the semifinal round to get past Houston Dynamo.
Calero saved the first shot he faced from Pete Vagenas, but Cannon equaled that mark by saving from Gabriel Caballero, who was Pachuca's third shooter. Pachuca's final shooter, Marvin Cabrera, hit the crossbar with his shot setting the stage for Donovan to win the game. Donovan shot to his left, but Calero guessed right and made the save.
With the penalties in sudden death, Rodriguez buried his spot kick and Abel Xavier missed the target with his attempt to answer, giving Pachuca the first SuperLiga title.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
