By Canadian Press

Toronto exits CONCACAF Champions League at first hurdle, beaten 5-1 on aggregate

Feb 26, 2019 | 9:15 PM

TORONTO — After making the final last year, Toronto FC exited from the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League at the first hurdle after a 1-1 tie Tuesday with Panama’s Club Atletico Independiente de la Chorrera.

Toronto had dug a deep hole last Tuesday in Panama, going down 4-0 in the opening leg of the round-of-16 tie. It was unable to pull off a miracle comeback in the return leg on a frigid February night, losing 5-1 on aggregate.

Last year, Toronto beat the Colorado Rapids and Mexico’s Tigres UANL and Club America to reach the tournament final only to lose in a penalty shootout to Chivas Guadalajara.

This year, it was a short and disappointing cameo in the competition.

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Independiente will meet either Mexico’s Club Deportivo Toluca or Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals.

On the plus side for Toronto, star striker Jozy Altidore has agreed to a new long-term contract, according to a source, And the club has struck a deal with Belgium’s KRC Genk to bring in Spanish attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo in mid-March, according to another source.

Toronto needs the help. With Altidore still nursing an injury, TFC’s scattergun offence lacked a cutting edge Tuesday.

It was -10 Celsius — feeling like minus-16 with the wind chill, according to Environment Canada — at kickoff at a largely empty BMO Field. Down in Panama, it was a warm 28 C in La Chorrera.

The visitors looked to defend first, occasionally mounting a counter-attack. But their plan with a four-goal lead was clearly to get the ball away from their goal, often playing with a six-man backline when defending. Toronto was in near-constant attack.

Omar Browne’s goal in the 67th minute sealed the deal, tying the game at 1-1 and meaning Toronto had to score six on the night to advance.

Toronto thought a foul on Jordan Hamilton should have been awarded in the leadup to the Independiente goal. But none was given and, after two Toronto defenders failed to control a high ball, Browne raced in alone and beat Alex Bono.

Hamilton scored for Toronto, which led 1-0 after a lopsided first half.

Panama players dropped to their knees in celebration when the final whistle blew.

The opening leg was played on a warm evening in Panama on artificial turf at Estadio Agustin Sanchez. Romeesh Ivey had two goals and Abdiel Ayarza and Browne also scored.

The days leading up to the game in Toronto featured a wind warning, blowing snow advisory, extreme cold weather alert and finally a snowfall warning for Wednesday (significant snowfall of near 15 centimetres on tap).

Bear in mind that Ontario regulations don’t call for ice-fishing huts to be removed until various dates in March depending on location or ice breakup.

The new grass playing surface at BMO Field, installed in November, looked like a threadbare carpet that had been covered with a layer of sand. It made for an ugly, slow track. There was some left-over snow in the north endzone but the heated field was clear.

Two large heaters were aimed at the TFC bench. Independiente got one.

The north goalposts came late to the party but were erected two hours before kickoff.

Prior to the game, Independiente tweeted a photo of players praying in a circle. “Today we go out to the field for our families, for our people, for Panama,” read the caption. 

Toronto also hosted a round-of-16 game last year in late February, but it was a balmy nine degree Celsius for the visit by the Colorado Rapids. The two teams had endured a game-time temperature of three degrees Fahrenheit (-16 C), according to the U.S. National Weather Service, in the Feb. 20 opening leg in Commerce City, Colo.

Toronto coach Greg Vanney made three changes to his starting lineup as Nick DeLeon, Hamilton and Ayo Akinola came in for Griffin Dorsey, Terrence Boyd and Ashton Morgan.

Altidore is still returning to match fitness after ankle surgery while dealing with a separate knee irritation. With star striker Sebastian Giovinco and playmaker Victor Vazquez having left, the Toronto offence needs a spark.

Independiente goalkeeper Jose Guerra was called on early, diving to parry a Hamilton shot in the sixth minute. But Hamilton beat him in the 19th minute, floating a header in off a Justin Morrow cross.

Morrow came close in the 25th minute but his shot hit the ‘keeper and was cleared by a defender before it rolled into the open goal. A diving Guerra stopped another Hamilton header in the 32nd minute.

Bono finally had to make save in the 39th minute to deny Gustavo Bolivar.

Toronto outshot Independiente 13-2 (5-1 in shots on target) in the first half.

Toronto, which qualified for the 2019 Champions League by winning the 2018 Canadian Championship, kicks off the MLS regular season March 2 at Philadelphia.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press