Next stop, Panama!
After beating Club Deportivo Municipal Limeño in El Salvador, Forge FC’s next port of call in the 2020 Concacaf League is Panama City, where it will face Tauro FC in the round of 16 on Nov. 3 (6:00 p.m. ET/TSN 3 and TSN 5).
Tauro is the most successful club in Panama, and one of the top teams in Central America, so they should pose a more daunting challenge to Forge than Municipal Limeño, with all due respect to the Salvadorans.
Unlike Municipal Limeño, Tauro has experience playing in Concacaf competitions (more on that later) and have a number of players who are members of Panama’s national team.
Should Forge get the best of Tauro in this one-match playoff, they’ll advance to the one-legged quarter-finals where potential opponents include Waterhouse FC (Jamaica) or Arcahaie FC (Haiti).
Here’s what you need to know about Tauro FC.
BROADCAST ALERT: Forge FC vs. FC Tauro, Tuesday Nov. 3 at 8pm ET on TSN3 & TSN5
Who are Tauro FC?
Tauro FC – full name Asociación Deportiva Tauro Fútbol Club – is based in the Pedregal district of Panama City, which is located in the middle part of the country at the Pacific Ocean entrance of the Panama Canal. Panama City is the country’s capital and largest city, with a population of 1.2 million people in the metropolitan area.
Nicknamed Los Toros de Pedregal – The Bulls of Pedregal – Tauro are also known as the Bullfighters.
ESTAMOS LISTOS?!!! Mañana arranca la LPF y el CAMPEÓN se reporta listo para iniciar el torneo ??⚽. #VamosPorLa16 ?? #VamosTauro ⚪⚫ pic.twitter.com/WYOPPtJwNT
— Tauro F.C. (@TauroFC) October 21, 2020
What kind of pedigree does Tauro FC have?
Tauro FC competes in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol, Panama’s first division and one of the top leagues in Central America.
Founded in 1984, Tauro has won a record 13 Panamanian league titles, and has finished runners-up on eight occasions.
The team is managed by former Venezuelan international defender Rafael Mea Vitali, who was hired in August.
Tauro FC recently kicked off its 2020 Clausura season, earning a 1-1 draw with rivals CD Árabe Unido. The followed that up with a 2-2 draw vs. Alianza F.C.
What’s their stadium like?
The club plays its home games at the Estadio Rommel Fernández, a venue that has a seating capacity of 32,000 and also serves as the home of Panama’s national team.
It routinely hosts Panama’s World Cup qualifying matches, including a contest against Canada during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Panama won that game 2-0.
Who is Tauro FC’s star player?
Veteran Panamanian striker Edwin Aguilar has had a number of stints with Tauro FC, and is one of the most beloved players in club history.
Aguilar, 35, won the league scoring title three times (2007 Apertura, 2009 Apertura and 2016 Apertura), all as a member of FC Tauro.
In addition to a club career that saw him play in Colombia and Venezuela, Aguilar was also a regular for Panama’s national team for many years, and was part of the Panamanian side that won the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup in Honduras.
Also, veteran defender Luis Ovalle and forward Ismael Diaz were both part of the Panama team that competed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
EL GOOOL DEL CHACAL☠️⚽?. Edwin Aguilar puso el empate en el marcador. Tauro FC 1-1 Árabe Unido. Video: @deportesrpc #VamosPorLa16 ?? #VamosTauro ⚫⚪ pic.twitter.com/nG7mwg2McQ
— Tauro F.C. (@TauroFC) October 23, 2020
What kind of international experience does Tauro FC have?
Unlike Municipal Limeño, who was making its debut into Concacaf competition this year, Tauro has quite a bit of international experience.
For starters, this year marks their third consecutive participation in the Concacaf League, with their best showing coming in 2018 when they reached the final four, losing to Honduran side FC Motagua in the semifinals. Last season, they fell to Salvadoran outfit Alianza FC in the round of 16.
Tauro FC have also competed in the Concacaf Champions League, making six appearances in the region’s top club tournament between 2008 and 2018. Their best showing came in 2018, when they lost to Mexican giants Club América in the quarter-finals.
During the 2011-12 competition, Tauro played in a round-robin group that included Toronto FC, suffering a 2-1 loss at home (Toronto’s goals courtesy of Ryan Johnson and Julian de Guzman) and a 1-0 defeat at BMO Field (Danny Koevermans).
Any famous ex-players?
Panamanian international forwards Anel Canales and Luis Rentería both won league scoring titles while playing for Tauro.
Rentería represented Panama in four World Cup qualifying cycles, and at the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Canales played for clubs all over Central America and in Colombia during his career, and scored a pair of goals for Panama before playing his last game for his country in 2009.
Is it true their uniforms are based on the iconic kits of Italian side Juventus?
Yes!
Tauro was founded in 1984 by the Italian industrialist Giancarlo Gronchi, who was instrumental in the formation of the Panamanian topflight division.
Gronchi was also a big Juventus fan, so he decided that Tauro should play in black-and-white striped jerseys that are similar to the famous kits worn by the Serie A powerhouse.
