Cruz Azul received a pleasant surprise when they trained at BMO Field on Monday for the first time ahead of their CONCACAF Champions League group-stage opener against Toronto FC (8 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel).
The Cementeros thought TFC still played on artificial surface despite BMO Field's conversion this year to natural grass. Cruz Azul even practiced on artificial turf at their training complex on Sunday before traveling Sunday afternoon.
“[TFC] are complicated and it makes it even more complicated to play on artificial turf,” said veteran midfielder Christian “El Chaco” Giménez at the Mexico City airport before departing for Toronto.
The club quickly realized its mistake, even issuing a correction on its official website after reporting that BMO featured artificial turf.
The Azulinos from Mexico City are under a lot of pressure to win a trophy this year after falling at the final hurdle in several competitions over recent years. Cruz Azul lost the last two Champions League finals to Atlante (2008-09) and Pachuca (2009-10).
Although manager Enrique Meza says he will only announce his starting lineup before the match, it is likely that his hottest forward, 22-year-old Javier “El Chuletita” Orozco, will get the start. He’s a player who has come up through the Cruz Azul youth system and has scored seven goals in four league matches thus far in the Apertura 2010.
“I’ve played more minutes [this season] and I feel real happy, really confident in myself, more mature,” Orozco said.
Orozco scored twice against Pachuca on the weekend in a 4-1 Cruz Azul win, as la Máquina now have three wins in four league matches.
Jamaican Courtney Campbell will referee Tuesday’s match in Toronto.
Typical Cruz Azul Starting XI (left to right): José de Jesús Corona – Fausto Pinto, Horacio Cervantes, Joel Huiqui, Rogelio Chávez – Alejandro Vela, Gonzalo Pineda, Gerardo Torrado, Christian Giménez – Emanuel Villa, Javier Orozco
CRUZ AZUL 18-MAN ROSTER VS. TORONTO FC
Note: Number of starts in Mexican Apertura league play in parentheses (of 4 total matches)
GOALKEEPERS (2): José de Jesús Corona (4), Yosgart Gutiérrez (0)
DEFENDERS (6): Horacio Cervantes (4), Julio César Domínguez, Fausto Pinto (4), Alejandro Castro (0), Rogelio Chávez (4), Joel Huiqui (4)
MIDFIELDERS (6):, Allam Bello (0), Gonzalo Pineda (4), Gerardo Torrado (4), Héctor Enrique Gutiérrez (0), César Villaluz (0), Christian Giménez (4)
FORWARDS (4): Emanuel Villa (4), Javier Orozco (4), Alejandro Vela (4), Maximiliano Biancucchi (0)
