Toronto FC earns 1-1 tie against Santos Laguna in CONCACAF Champions League semifinal

Toronto FC and Mexico’s Santos Laguna exchanged first-half goals in an entertaining sometimes ill-tempered 1-1 tie to open their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal Wednesday night.

Up a man in the final minutes, Toronto could not secure the go-ahead goal in a dramatic finale.

And there was a final whistle melee involving both teams after a second Mexican player — Darwin Quintero — was sent off, apparently for felling defender Ashtone Morgan.

After a pair of woeful MLS outings, a hard-working Toronto FC showed plenty of resolve against a skilful high-scoring side that currently tops the Mexican league.

But next week’s second leg in Mexico could prove far more testing, especially with an away goal in Santos Laguna’s pocket.

Defender Miguel Aceval scored on a memorable free kick for Toronto FC, who had the Mexicans reeling on set plays.

U.S. international Herculez Gomez had the Santos Laguna goal.

Both sides will rue missed scoring chances in an action-packed contest before 18,950 at BMO Field.

American referee Ricardo Salazar sent off Santos Laguna’s Osmar Mares in the 77th minute after he left his studs up in a nasty challenge for the ball with defender Richard Eckersley

Toronto got away with what looked like a clear penalty in the 52nd minute after substitute Toronto defender Aaron Maund shoved a Santos player to the ground in the penalty box

It was nine degrees at kickoff in Toronto, compared to 29 degrees in Santos’ home of Torreon. But the Mexicans proved hardy during warmups, tying TFC 2-2 in tuques.

Wind and rain made it more uncomfortable as the game wore on.

Toronto advanced to the semifinals by upsetting the defending MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

The last MLS side standing, Toronto has already made Canadian club history by progressing this far in the competition.

But the decisive 2-1 away victory against the Galaxy was quickly forgotten in the wake of league losses of 3-1 in Seattle and 3-0 at home to San Jose.

Toronto’s ongoing defensive woes — the team gave up a league-worst 59 goals — have been compounded by a injury to captain Torsten Frings in the MLS season opener.

The loss of the former German international to a hamstring strain has removed the glue from the Toronto backline.

Santos poured it on in the second leg of its quarter-final with Seattle, pouring in four second-half goals to defeat the visiting Sounders 6-1 on the day and 7-3 on aggregate.

Toronto started well Wednesday with the wind at its back in the first half, driving at the Mexicans and troubling the visitors on corners.

But Santos proved to be full of skill and looked dangerous whenever they counter-attacked. The Mexicans were good on the ball and stroked it around the field, although they earned boos for going down at the slightest contact.

Toronto had the first scoring chance on a low free kick from Danny Koevermans after Reggie Lambe was taken down several yards outside the Mexican penalty box. The shot found the target but went straight at 38-year-old veteran goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez.

Milos Kocic had to be sharp at the other end in the 12th minute after a poor clearing attempt. The Toronto goalie then had to make a diving save to parry a flick-on in the 19th minute.

Gomez scored in the 31st minute, breaching the Toronto defence via a through ball from Quintero. Toronto players asked for offside but didn’t get it and Gomez slotted a low shot past Kocic as a Toronto defender lunged at him.

Koevermans found himself behind the defence in the 34th minute but couldn’t get his header on goal and the defence finally cleared the ball.

The big Dutch striker was carded soon after, apparently for trying to take a free kick too early. It turned out just fine when Aceval buried the ensuring retake after the referee finally deemed it was time.

The burly Chilean defender fired a cannon-like left-footer from well outside the penalty box that Sanchez got a hand to but couldn’t stop in the 37th minute.

Aceval left in the 49th minute, seemingly nursing a knock — bad news for an already weakened defence.

There were scoring chances aplenty in the second half.

Christian Suarez’s bicycle kick went straight into Kocic’s hands after Terry Dunfield whiffed at the ball. Kocic then parried another hard shot in the 63rd minute.

Seconds later at the other end, Sanchez somehow got a hand to a Ryan Johnson deflection.

Kocic was just as spectacular, robbing an onrushing Gomez in the 65th minute. Then Toronto’s Nick Soolsma shot wide.

Dunfield was just wide in the 72nd, redirecting a Joao Plata cross just past the post.

Koevermans agonizingly skied a shot in the 74th minute after a perfect pass found him all alone.

The other semifinal pitted defending champion Monterrey against the visiting Pumas in an all-Mexican clash.

Mexican teams have dominated the competition since the format was revamped in 2008-09. Mexican sides won it the first three years and only one MLS team (Real Salt Lake) has made it to the final.

Twelve of the last 16 semifinalists have been Mexican.

The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League earns club bragging rights in North and Central America and the Caribbean — and a trip to FIFA Club World Cup.