Mexican soccer's Toluca's Argentine manager takes team to final

America Gallego, the Argentine manager of Mexican soccer team Toluca, has succeeded in taking Toluca to its second domestic league final on Wednesday.

The final begins on Thursday against Guadalajara, known as Los Chivas (the goats), in their home Jalisco Stadium, in Guadalajara, 500 km west of Mexico City. The return leg is on Sunday in Toluca, 60 km east of Mexico City.

Gallego is seeking the ninth title for the team, known as Los Diablos (The Devils), which has the third largest trophy collection in Mexican soccer, beaten only by Chivas and Mexico City team America.

Gallego, 51, arrived in Mexico after a purple patch in Argentina. He boosted River Plate to two trophies, including one campaign in which they did not lose a single game. Independiente won two titles under his management and Newells' Old Boys won one.

Toluca, known for defensive and unflamboyant soccer, won the 2005 Opening Championship under his management.

"Many people don't believe in us," Gallego, who is nicknamed El Tolod, told media. "But we made it. We are able to wake the sleeping giant in Toluca," he said.

Toluca has benefited from smarter tactics under his rule, which has taken the team to the 2006 Champions League in Mexico, and overseas to the 2007 Copa Libertadores and the semi-finals of the 2006 Copa Sud-Americana.

Gallego was assist manager to the national team in the 1998 France World Cup and is seeking to extend a record-breaking streak this week. No Mexican manager has achieved so much in so little time.

Gallego was part of the 1978 Argentine team that won the World Cup and is one of the world's most successful league managers. Every time he has taken a team to the league final, his team has won.

Source: Xinhua