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Caledonia losses Champions League opener.As expected, Toluca had no problem with Caledonia AIA in their CONCACAF Champions League opener. Edgar Benitez, Miguel Almazan and Raul Nava all scored for the Choriceros in a simple 3-1 win to kick off their tournament campaign with three points at home.

It took just 23 minutes for Toluca to go in front as a flicked on header found Edy Brambila, who quickly played Benitez in on goal. It was quick play by Toluca and by the time Caledonia could react to what happened, Benitez was slotting the ball past Glenroy Samuel.

Six minutes later, Almazan was hitting a rocket by Samuel to double the lead. The defense couldn't be beaten on this one because it came on a 30-yard free kick that Almazan hit as well as possible. It got over the wall and made a beeline for the back of the net, where it settled well beyond an outstretched Samuel.

Toluca were never bothered, keeping the ball for long stretches and generating the bulk of the chances. When Nava made it 3-0 at the hour mark it made the scoreline reflect the run of play. Toluca continued to pepper the goal while, to that point, Caledonia hadn't even taken a shot inside of 20 yards.

Three minutes from time, Julian Wade finally gave Caledonia something to cheer about when he scored from five yards out, but by then the match was long over. Toluca had their three points, setting them up for the next matchday when they take on Comunicaciones in Guatemala with a chance to grab a stranglehold of Group 6.

Final Score

Toluca 3  v  Caledonia AIA 1
E.Benítez 23     J.Wade 87
M.Quiróz 29
R.López 60

Teams

Toluca: - 1.Alfredo Talavera, 20.Miguel Á. Almazán Quiróz, 8.Aarón Galindo, 2.Francisco Gamboa Gómez, 18.Xavier I. Baez, 19.Edy G. Brambila, 15.Antonio Ríos Martínez (21.Gabriel Velasco Gutiérrez 57th), 26.Erbin A. Trejo Macías, 23.Edgar Benítez (10.Zinha 69th), 11.Carlos Esquivel, 29.Raúl Nava López (25.Daniel González Vega 74th).

Unused Subs: - 22.César A. Lozano; 4.Paulo C. Da Silva, 16.Oscar R. Rojas García, 9.Juan C. Cacho.

Coach: - José S. Cardozo.

Caledonia AIA: - 33.Glenroy Samuel, 2.Aubrey David, 12.Kareem Joseph, 3.Nuru A. Muhammad, 14.Jamaal Smith, 7.Stephan David, 21.Densill Theobald, 20.Noel Williams 13.Julian Wade 70th), 9.Keyon Edwards (11.Abdallah Phillips 78th), 23.Jamal Gay, 10.Andre Toussaint (27.Nathan Lewis 53rd).

Unused Subs: - 1.Shemel Louison; 5.Akeem Thomas, 6.Marcus Ambrose, 22.Miguel A. Romeo.

Coach: - Jamaal Shabazz.

Referee: - John Pitti.

Venue: - Estadio Nemesio Diez, Toluca, Mexico.

Attendance: - 5000.

Highlights: - Toluca vs Caledonia

Standings

P  W  L  D  F  A  Pts
Toluca  1  1  0  0  3  1  3
Comunicaciones  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Caledonia AIA  1  0  1  0  1  3  0

Line-up Commentary from CONCACAF.COM

   END OF THE GAME
2H 92'  Daniel González Vega trys to shoot on goal, but the attempt goes wide!
2H 92'  Clearance by Toluca, made by Alfredo Talavera
2H 92'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, done by Aubrey David
2H 91'  Julian Wade illegally stopped Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz
2H 91'  Corner for Toluca, taken by Antonio Naelson Matías
2H 90'  Clearance by Caledonia AIA, the ball was kicked out of bounds by Glenroy Samuel
2H 89'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, done by Aubrey David
2H 89'  Clearance by Alfredo Talavera
2H 89'  Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz throws in
2H 87'  Caledonia AIA converts a goal by Julian Wade
2H 86'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías takes the corner kick
2H 83'  An illict act by Jamaal Gay against Carlos Esquivel! The ref gives a free kick
2H 82'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 82'  A shot by Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías went wide
2H 80'  Aarón Galindo commits a foul on Densill Theobald
2H 79'  Throw-in by Aubrey David
2H 78'  Abdallah Phillips now enters the field for Caledonia AIA, Keyon Edwards comes off
2H 78'  Foul by Daniel González Vega on Nuru Abdullah Muhammad! The referee gives a free kick
2H 77'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 77'  Chance for Toluca. Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías shoots, but it goes wide!
2H 77'  Aarón Galindo throws in
2H 76'  Clearance by Caledonia AIA, the ball was kicked out of bounds by Glenroy Samuel
2H 76'  Throw-in for Toluca, done by Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
2H 74'  Daniel González Vega joins Toluca, Raúl Nava López leaves the field
2H 74'  An illict act by Julian Wade against Francisco Gamboa Gómez! The ref gives a free kick
2H 74'  Corner kick for Toluca, taken byAntonio Naelson Matías
2H 73'  Alfredo Talavera makes a clearance
2H 73'  Jamaal Smith commits a foul on Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
2H 72'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 72'  Opportunity for Toluca. Carlos Esquivel shoots, but the ball misses the target!
2H 71'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías kicks the corner for Toluca
2H 71'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 71'  Carlos Esquivel lost control over his shot and it goes wide
2H 71'  An illicit act by Densill Theobald against Carlos Esquivel! The referee awards a free kick
2H 70'  Julian Wade now enters the field for Caledonia AIA, Noel Williams comes off
2H 69'  Substitution by Toluca, Antonio Naelson Matías comes on for Edgar Benítez
2H 69'  Glenroy Samuel makes a clearance for Caledonia AIA
2H 68'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
2H 68'  Noel Williams attempts to shoot on goal! But the attempt goes wide!
2H 67'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías kicks the corner for Toluca
2H 67'  Nuru Abdullah Muhammad makes a clearance and concedes a corner for Caledonia AIA
2H 66'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 65'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 65'  Gabriel Velasco Gutiérrez lost control over his shot and it goes wide
2H 65'  Xavier Iván Baez throws in
2H 64'  Throw-in for Toluca, taken by Aarón Galindo
2H 62'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías takes the corner kick
2H 60'  Toluca scores an open play goal by Raúl Nava López
2H 59'  Glenroy Samuel clears the ball
2H 59'  Raúl Nava López shoots on goal, but the goalkeeper prevents it from going in
2H 58'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 58'  Opportunity for Toluca. Francisco Gamboa Gómez shoots, but the ball misses the target!
2H 58'  Corner kick for Toluca, taken byEdy Germán Brambila
2H 57'  Substitution by Toluca, Gabriel Velasco Gutiérrez comes on for Antonio Ríos Martínez
2H 57'  Glenroy Samuel clears the ball to corner
2H 55'  Clearance by Alfredo Talavera
2H 54'  Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz throws in
2H 54'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
2H 54'  A shot by Jamaal Gay, but the attempt goes wide
2H 53'  Nathan Lewis joins Caledonia AIA, Andre Toussaint leaves the field
2H 52'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
2H 52'  A shot by Jamaal Gay hits the woodwork
2H 51'  An illicit act by Antonio Ríos Martínez against Densill Theobald! The referee gives a free kick
2H 49'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 49'  Opportunity for Toluca. Edy Germán Brambila shoots, but it goes wide!
2H 48'  Throw-in for Toluca, taken by Aarón Galindo
2H 48'  Throw-in for Toluca, done by Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz
2H 47'  Throw-in by Aubrey David
2H 47'  Corner for Caledonia AIA, executed by Andre Toussaint
2H 46'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
2H 46'  Edy Germán Brambila shoots! But the attempt misses the target!
  START OF SECOND HALF

   END OF FIRST HALF
1H 44'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, taken by Kareem Joseph
1H 44'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, done by Aubrey David
1H 44'  Throw-in by Aarón Galindo
1H 43'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 43'  Xavier Iván Baez trys to shoot on goal, but the attempt goes wide!
1H 42'  Throw-in for Toluca, done by Francisco Gamboa Gómez
1H 41'  Clearance by Glenroy Samuel
1H 41'  Alfredo Talavera clears the ball
1H 40'  Antonio Ríos Martínez illegally stopped Aubrey David
1H 39'  Foul by Andre Toussaint on Carlos Esquivel! The referee gives a free kick
1H 38'  Andre Toussaint executes the corner kick for Caledonia AIA
1H 37'  Glenroy Samuel makes a clearance for Caledonia AIA
1H 36'  Throw-in for Toluca, taken by Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
1H 36'  Foul by Andre Toussaint on Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz! The referee gives a free kick
1H 34'  Clearance by Glenroy Samuel
1H 34'  The linesman raises his flag, offside ruling for Raúl Nava López
1H 33'  An illict act by Francisco Gamboa Gómez against Aubrey David! The ref gives a free kick
1H 32'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, done by Kareem Joseph
1H 32'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
1H 32'  Andre Toussaint shoots! But the attempt misses the target!
1H 29'  Toluca scores from a free kick by Miguel Ángel Almazán Quiróz
1H 28'  Nuru Abdullah Muhammad illegally stopped Raúl Nava López
1H 27'  Throw-in by Aubrey David
1H 26'  Kareem Joseph throws in
1H 23'  GOOAAL by Edgar Benítez! Toluca celebrates
1H 23'  Alfredo Talavera makes a clearance
1H 23'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
1H 23'  A shot by Kareem Joseph went in the wrong direction
1H 22'  Throw-in for Toluca, taken by Carlos Esquivel
1H 22'  An illict act by Antonio Ríos Martínez against Noel Williams! The ref gives a free kick
1H 21'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 21'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías attempts to shoot on goal! But the attempt goes wide!
1H 20'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 20'  Opportunity for Toluca. Carlos Esquivel shoots, but the ball misses the target!
1H 19'  Throw-in by Kareem Joseph
1H 18'  Carlos Esquivel throws in
1H 15'  Throw-in for Caledonia AIA, taken by Aubrey David
1H 15'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 15'  A shot by Raúl Nava López went in the wrong direction
1H 15'  Corner for Toluca, taken by Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
1H 14'  Cleared and corner given away by Caledonia AIA, made by Kareem Joseph
1H 13'  Glenroy Samuel makes a clearance
1H 12'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 12'  Edy Germán Brambila attempts to shoot on goal! And the attempt goes wide!
1H 12'  Edy Germán Brambila kicks the corner
1H 12'  Cleared by Nuru Abdullah Muhammad, resulting in a corner for the opponent
1H 11'  Clearance by Glenroy Samuel
1H 11'  The linesman raises his flag, offside ruling for Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
1H 10'  Throw-in for Toluca, taken by Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías
1H 10'  Glenroy Samuel makes a clearance
1H 9'  Carlos Esquivel is found in an offside position
1H 9'  Corner kick for Toluca, taken byEdy Germán Brambila
1H 9'  Nuru Abdullah Muhammad clears the ball to the corner.
1H 8'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 7'  Edy Germán Brambila attempts to shoot on goal! And the attempt goes wide!
1H 7'  Goal kick by Alfredo Talavera
1H 7'  Chance for Caledonia AIA. Keyon Edwards shoots, but it goes wide!
1H 6'  Glenroy Samuel makes a clearance
1H 6'  Shot by Carlos Esquivel , but the ball ends up in the hands of Glenroy Samuel
1H 6'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías throws in
1H 4'  Clearance by Caledonia AIA, the ball was kicked out of bounds by Glenroy Samuel
1H 4'  Foul by Andre Toussaint on Edy Germán Brambila! The referee gives a free kick
1H 3'  Clearance by Glenroy Samuel
1H 3'  Opportunity for Toluca. Carlos Esquivel shoots, stopped by Glenroy Samuel
1H 1'  Goal kick by Glenroy Samuel
1H 1'  Erbin Alejandro Trejo Macías attempts to shoot on goal! And the attempt goes wide!
  START OF THE GAME

Caledonia falls to Toluca but grabs away goal in Mexico City.
By Lasana Liburd (wired868.com).


Caledonia AIA began its 2013 CONCACAF Champions League campaign with a loss away to Toluca last night but the “Eastern Staillions” might take some comfort in an away goal and a salvageable deficit as they fell 3-1 in Mexico City.

Toluca plays 8,793 feet above sea level and Mexico’s 2012/13 runner-up is already four games into its new season while Caledonia is still three weeks from kick off in the local Pro League.

So, although the Stallions were unlikely to have felt pleased at the final whistle, the flight home might allow Caledonia time to reflect on a far from miserable showing at the start of its second successive CONCACAF campaign.

Still, Caledonia began with a similar 3-1 defeat away to US Major League Soccer (MLS) team, Seattle Sounders, last year but never got its campaign in gear and ended with just one point from four group stage matches.

In 2013, coach Jamaal Shabazz must get his men to cross the gap between battling defeat and narrow triumph.

Against Seattle, Caledonia conceded three goals within 24 minutes in a frantic first half. Yesterday, former Trinidad and Tobago 2009 Under-20 World Cup goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel was beaten twice in six minutes as Toluca looked like running riot at one point.

Paraguay international striker Edgar Benitez opened the scoring in the 23rd minute as he ghosted behind Caledonia debutante defender and Guyanese international Jamaal Smith to tuck past Samuel. Six minutes later, 31-year-old Toluca defender Miguel Almazan, who has 11 years as a top flight Mexican professional under his belt, doubled the “Red Devils” advantage with a curling free kick that left Samuel stranded.

It did not help that the Caledonia wall stood transfixed as the ball flew an inch over the head of attacker Andre Toussaint.

The Stallions regrouped at the interval and might have halved the deficit through a powerful Keyon Edwards drive, which Toluca goalkeeper and Mexico’s reserve international Alfredo Talavera tipped on to the bar.

But the host team helped itself to a third item after an hour as 22-year-old striker Raul Nava made the most of ricochet off Smith to steer past Samuel.

There was a touch of good fortune too about Caledonia’s lone item. But the move itself was unmistakably part of the Trinidad team’s DNA.

A few exchanged passes in central midfield allowed left back Aubrey David to sneak into an advanced position and the 2013 Gold Cup player sent a low raking cross into the opposing penalty area. Toluca sweeper Aaron Galindo swung and missed. Caledonia substitute Julian Wade had just a fraction of a second to react and the 22-year-old Montserrat striker caught it well with a first time drive that flew between Talavera’s legs in the 87th minute.

Fellow Pro League outfit, DIRECTV W Connection, will surely raise the curiosity of local football fans after registering five Colombians, two Brazilians and an Italian player for the new season.

Let it be known that the young man from Montserrat, ranked 177th in the world by FIFA, opened his account first.

Connection kicks off its Champions League campaign tomorrow on Thursday August 8 against CD Arabe Unido in Panama.

Caledonia will be at home for its next fixture, which is against Guatemalan team Comunicaciones FC on Thursday August 29. Anything but a win for the Stallions will erase any trace of the solace offered by yesterday’s late goal in Mexico City.