SCCL View: Tauro FC

In 2018, Tauro FC (black/white jersey) will be making its sixth appearance in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League – a Panamanian record. (Photo courtesy of the Liga Panameña de Fútbol) In the ninth of a series of articles taking a closer look at each of the 16 teams in the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL), CONCACAF.com goes in-depth on Tauro FC. TAURO FC/PANAMA By The Numbers 2017 Apertura Record: W9 D7 L2 GF25 GA13 Final Position (Regular Season): 1st Place Final Position (Playoffs): Apertura semifinals Playoff Results: Semifinals (agg: 1-2 v Chorrillo FC) Top Scorer (Regular Season): Edwin Aguilar, 8 goals Season Summary Thanks to its consistency, Tauro (34 points) edged Plaza Amador and Arabe Unido by a single point to finish atop the regular-season table.  In the postseason, however, the Toros de Pedregal were eliminated by eventual-champion Chorrillo in the semifinals (agg: 1-2).  Tauro also netted the most goals during the regular season (26). Season Highlight On September 23, Edwin Aguilar scored early and late in the first half to help lead Tauro to a 2-1 win over a Chorrillo FC team that would go on and win its third league title.  That results was part of a 13-match unbeaten streak that saw Tauro go 8W-5D-0L. Key Player: Edwin Aguilar It was a triumphant return to Tauro for Edwin Aguilar, who rejoined the club after a stint with Venezuela’s Deportivo La Guaira.  The 33-year-old led Tauro in scoring with eight goals, good for a share of second on the league table.  With Tauro, Aguilar made history on August 26, 2008, when he scored the first goal in Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League history – striking in the fifth minute of 2-0 win over visiting Chivas USA in a preliminary round, first-leg game. Player to Watch in 2018: Jesus Gonzalez The 21-year-old striker scored four goals in 13 games during the 2017 Apertura and his team was 3W-0L-1D in games he found the back of the net. Fabulous Facts Tauro was dominant at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, going 6W-3D-0L in the 2017 Apertura.  It joined Arabe Unido and Chorrillo as the only teams without a home loss during the campaign. SCCL Round of 16 Outlook Tauro is hoping to reach the SCCL quarterfinals for the first time after failing to advance beyond the group stage in any of its previous five appearances.  The opportunity is certainly there against an FC Dallas side that had an uneven campaign in 2017 MLS play.  Tauro defeated FC Dallas, 5-3, in the 2011/12 group stage and has two wins in eight all-time SCCL games against teams from the USA.