Music: {allcanada} TFC to open CL vs. Real Esteli

Monday, July 4, 2011

{allcanada} TFC to open CL vs. Real Esteli

Sale! $7.49 .COM Domains from GoDaddy.com 728x90

TORONTO -- Toronto FC will open play in the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League later this month against Real Esteli FC of Nicaragua.

The MLS side will host the Central Americans at BMO Field on July 27 before travelling to Esteli, a town of 118,000 in northwest Nicaragua for the preliminary-round rematch on August 2. That game will take place at 4,800 seat Estadio Independencia.

The winner of the aggregate series will advance to Group C of the Champions League, joining Pumas of Mexico, Tauro of Panama and either El Salvador's Alianza or FC Dallas of MLS.

Toronto earned the berth in the preliminary round of the CONCACAF club competition on the weekend by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 to win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship 3-2 on aggregate.

Esteli last appeared in the Champions League in 2008, losing 2-1 on aggregate to the Montreal Impact.

Toronto advanced to the group stage last year but failed to move on from there.