MIAMI, Florida – Toronto FC will be seeking a strong start in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals when they host Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the first leg on Tuesday night.
Toronto FC are coming off a thrilling 3-2 aggregate win over defending Liga MX champions Club Leon in the previous round and now will take aim at current Liga MX leaders Cruz Azul.
The Canadian side were bolstered by the strong play of young players like Ralph Priso, Noble Okello and Jacob Shaffelburg against Club Leon and now will get another stiff test versus La Maquina.
After being held to a 0-0 draw in their Round of 16 first leg against Arcahaie of Haiti, the Cruz Azul attack exploded for eight goals in an 8-0 second leg win, which included a brace from Walter Montoya and a trio of assists from Santiago Gimenez.
Liga MX opposition in the SCCL is nothing new for Toronto FC. The Reds have an all-time record of 5W-5D-7L against teams from Mexico and in the last three years have earned series victories over decorated clubs like Tigres UANL, Club America and Club Leon.
As for Cruz Azul, they are also very familiar with playing against teams from MLS and overall have a 6W-1D-4L record against the league, with 23 goals scored and 13 conceded.
There is also some history between the two teams in the tournament, as they faced off in the group stage of the 2010-11 edition that saw Toronto FC claim a 2-1 win at home, followed by a 0-0 draw in Mexico.
