There is sure to be a Mexican wave at this year's Fifa Club World Cup with two teams from that country fighting it out for the right to be the Concacaf representatives. Mexico are now certain of a representative in December's competition, which will be held in Abu Dhabi.
Rafael Marquez scored a last- minute penalty for Atlante to set up a Concacaf Champions League final showdown with compatriots Cruz Azul after edging another Mexican side Santos Laguna 4-3 on aggregate by recording a dramatic 3-1 second-leg triumph. Marquez combined with Luis Gabriel Rey to open the scoring for Atlante five minutes before the break but Matias Vuoso pulled Santos, who claimed a 2-1 first leg win, level seven minutes after the hour mark.
But after Venezuelan striker Giancarlo Maldonado levelled the tie on aggregate with 17 minutes remaining, Marquez held his nerve from the spot after Rafael Figueroa had upended Gabriel Pereyra. Just before the final whistle Santos' Juan Pablo Rodriguez and Atlante duo Miguel Martinez and Giancarlo Maldonado were all sent off following a late mass confrontation. Cruz Azul secured their place in the final after edging out Puerto Rico Islanders on penalties.
The winners of the Pro League will open the Club World Cup against the Oceania champions. The winners of that preliminary contest will progress to meet any of the three champion clubs from Asia, Africa and Concacaf for the right to play either the Uefa representatives or the Conmebol (South American) qualifiers in the semi-finals. Sheikh Zayed Sports City, with a capacity of 50,000, and Al Jazira's Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, which seats 42,000, will host the competition that begins on Dec 9 and ends with the final on Dec 19.
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