Pachuca Ready For Defending Champions' Challenge

Posted Saturday, May 01, 2010 by Goal.com

Edgar Benitez said Pachuca will be ready for a tough and determined Monterrey side.

Days after winning the CONCACAF Champions League, Pachuca will have to turn around and face the best team in Mexico thus far this year.

Los Tuzos will host Monterrey in the first leg of their quarterfinal series on Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo. And while Rayados will bring their 10-1-6 record to Pachuca, the regular-season behemoths don't necessarily intimidate Tuzo players.

"To me, it's better that we play Monterrey right away," Pachuca's Edgar Benitez told reporters. "We know they were the best team in the tournament, that they play very well but in the playoffs things change. This is a new season and we're all equal. It doesn't matter who you face, you just have to win to come out ahead."

Benitez could enter the match with a hot hand. Benitez's goal on Wednesday, after all, gave los Tuzos the CONCACAF Champions League title. Benitez scored a dramatic match-winner in second-half stoppage time to give Pachuca a 1-0 win over Cruz Azul, good enough for their second regional title in four years.

But los Tuzos don't want to stop there. The club has set its sights on capturing the double, and adding the Bicentenario 2010 trophy to their mantle. Benitez said the challenge will be tough, however.

"They finished in first for a reason," he said. "Additionally, they are the champions and will want to defend their title. They're going to be a tough rival but if we win, we'll be candidates to win the title too."

While Monterrey were consistent throughout the regular season, Pachuca were anything but. Los Tuzos won just once in their last eight games. Still, winning the league title is not something the club has given up on.

"In football, things change quickly," he said. "We're surprised we are in the playoffs but we never lost hope. Fortunately everything turned out well. We beat Tigres and got some other results to go our way. Now the season starts over, and we're in it."