PACHUCA, Mexico - Edy German Brambila converted an early opportunity in a slew of chances to give Pachuca a 1-0 victory over Toluca on Wednesday and send it to its first CONCACAF Champions League finals.

Pachuca, which has won three CONCACAF club titles in the past eight years including the last two CONCACAF Champions Cup crowns in 2007 and 2008, will face fellow Mexican club Cruz Azul April 21 and April 28. Cruz Azul, the losing finalist last year to Atlante, will host the first leg in Mexico City with the second leg set for Estadio Miguel Hidalgo.

The winner will assure Mexico of a 26th CONCACAF club title, by far the most in the region.

Brambila was able to outmuscle and outjump Toluca defender Manuel de la Torre to get to Damian Manso's cross from the left, driving it past Toluca keeper Alfredo Talavera. The goal enabled Pachuca, which has not lost in the Champions League in nine matches since the opening round of the Group Stage in August, to prevail 2-1 on aggregate.

Both sides created several serious scoring opportunities in the first half, with Talavera frustrating Pachuca on several occasions while the Diablos Rojos (Red Devils) mostly frustrated themselves.

Dario Cvitanich started Pachuca's dominance early, rising unmarked to put a strong header wide from 12 meters in the third minute. Cvitanich had another header saved by Talavera five minutes later, a drive down the right side to the byline before his cross was deflected away in the 24th and a run down the middle of the defense before his shot was flicked away by the outstretched foot of Talavera in the 39th.

Brambila - besides his goal -- and Edgar Benitez also threatened the Toluca net, while Talavera was just able to get a fingertip to a shot by Manso in the in the 25th that just banged off the far post.

"We never lost confidence in ourselves," Cvitanich said. "We were stuck in a bad streak but we were always had confidence in ourselves and the coaching staff and people stood by the team.What you saw today is the real team."

Toluca coach Chepo de la Torre was forced to make two substitutions, first to replace defender Manuel Cruzalta in the 11th minute with Manuel de la Torre and then sending in Vladimir Marin for Antonio Rios in the 33rd.

The Diablos Rojos also had their moments, although fewer, the best when Carlos Esquivel broke in on the right side and sent a knee-high cross to a completely unmarked Hector Mancilla inside the six-yard box, but the Chilean inexplicably tried to redirect it with the outside of his right foot and knocked the ball wide.

"Unfortunately we didn't know how to play a semifinal," Toluca forward Antonio "Sinha" Naelson said."There are no excuses, Pachuca was better than us.

"Maybe in the second half we played better.They had a lot of chances in the first half and they didn't take advantage but as they say in soccer, the team that scores is the one that wins.In the second half we played much better, we had control of the game but it is about goals and we didn't know how to put the ball in the net."

With a steady rain falling in the second half, Toluca had more possession but failed to create consistent dangerous opportunities. Vladimir Marin's blast from distance into the arms of Pachuca keeper Miguel Calero in the 57th typified their effort. Mancilla had Toluca's best effort late, getting a clean header in the 83rd that Calero was well-positioned to grab.

"Thanks to God we are in the final," Pachuca defender Leobardo Lopez said. "We have worked to get there and fortunately we have made it.We now need to take the next step because otherwise just being here won't mean anything."