Toronto stays alive by tying UNAM

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Sep 28, 2011

[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Whatever Toronto FC didn’t have Saturday at Home Depot Center when it suffered a 3-0 lashing by Chivas USA, it brought out for the visit of Mexican club UNAM to BMO Field. UNAM paid the price for fielding many younger players and only a few regulars, as TFC survived a few onslaughts and kept alive its hopes of advancing to the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals by tying, 1-1.

Of the TFC regulars, only Torsten Frings, one of three suspended TFC players, sat out.

Peri Marosevic’s goal was matched by one from Marco Palacios; the result left Pumas (2-1-2, 8 pts.) atop the group and TFC (2-2-1, 7 pts.) tied for second with FC Dallas (2-1-1, 7 pts.), which plays Tauro FC (0-2-2, 2 pts.) Wednesday.

UNAM controlled the early play and hit the post through Diego De Buen, yet TFC took the lead in the 35th minute when Marosevic controlled a pass from Danny Koevermans just outside the penalty area and stroked a low shot past goalie Odin Patino. UNAM equalized in the 51st minute with a Palacios shot from a corner kick.

Both keepers were called upon for important saves in the final minutes, and TFC escaped a harrowing situation when defender Andy Iro got enough of his head on a shot to deflect it onto the post.

Group play takes a break until the final round is played in mid-October. Dallas hosts Toronto Oct. 18, and a day later Tauro plays at UNAM.