posted by kidpurple
September 3, 2008
Two embarassing results for Majore League Soccer in the CONCACAF Champions League happened yesterday. Last years MLS Cup runners up and the Western Conference champions both dropped out of the regional tournament yesterday.
The New England Revolution lost 0-4 at home to Joe Public of Trinidad and Tobago. This was the first time a Caribbean team beat an MLS team in a CONCACAF club competition. Joe Public advanced on a 6-1 aggregate score.
Chivas USA has a slightly closer series with Tauro of Panama, but they came away with a 1-3 aggregate defeat after a 1-1 draw at the Home Depot Center yesterday.
The Montreal Impact of the USL beat out Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps to represent Canada. Our Canadian USL representatives managed to win their series to move on to the group stage. This is rather embarassing for MLS as far as I’m concerned. New England did have a lot of players on the bench due to injury – but they got thrashed by a team from a region that has never beat an MLS side on CONCACAF club competition. San Jose would have done better than that.
What do you think? Is this embarassing for MLS – or is this a competition that they shouldn’t care about?
posted by kidpurple
June 12, 2008
It sounds like a joke, but the New England Revolution have been drawn against Joe Public FC in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League. Joe Public FC is actually a real team and they are two time champions of Trinidad & Tobago. They played DC United in 1998 in the Champions Cup – DC United beat them 8-0 on their way to winning that Champions Cup.
Chivas USA will also be playing in the first round of the Champions League. They have drawn Tauro FC – the most successful Panamanian club in the history of their professional league.
DC United and Houston Dynamo are also in the tournament but they will skip the first round and go directly to the group stage. Here is the full schedule for the first round of the tournament. The group stage starts September 16th.
First leg (Aug. 26-28, 2008)
CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (GUA) – San Francisco FC (PAN)
Joe Public FC (TRI) – New England Revolution (USA)
LD Alajuelense (CRC) – Puerto Rico Islanders
CDSC Cruz Azul (MEX) – Hankook Verdes (BLZ)
Harbour View FC (JAM) – Pumas UNAM (MEX)
Tauro FC (PAN) – Chivas USA (USA)
Canadian champion – Nicaraguan champion
CD Isidro Metapan (SLV) – CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (HON)
Second leg (Sept. 2-4, 2008)
San Francisco FC (PAN) – CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (GUA)
New England Revolution (USA) – Joe Public FC (TRI)
Puerto Rico Islanders – LD Alajuelense (CRC)
Hankook Verdes (BLZ) – CDSC Cruz Azul (MEX)
Pumas UNAM (MEX) – Harbour View FC (JAM)
Chivas USA (USA) – Tauro FC (PAN)
Nicaraguan champion – Canadian champion
CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (HON) – CD Isidro Metapan (SLV)
posted by kidpurple
May 28, 2008
Tononto FC is one step closer to qualifying for the first CONCACAF Champions League. TFC is involved in a 3 team playoff which will determine who represents Canada in the regional tournament. Last night Marco Velez scored the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute to give TFC a 1-0 victory over USL side Montreal Impact. The Vancouver Whitecaps are the other team in the three team tournament.
Tornoto FC did have some bad news in the game. The teams top scorer Danny Dichio was injured and left the game in the first half. It was a groin injury and the amount of time they expect him to miss is unknown, if he misses any further games. It doesn’t sound too bad.
posted by kidpurple
May 15, 2008
Four MLS teams are already qualified for the very first CONCACAF Champions League, and Toronto FC have a good chance of going as well. Since the spots in the tournament are given out to countries and not leagues – Toronto FC have a qualifying tournament with the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Representing the MLS will be:
- Houston Dynamo – MLS Cup Champions
- DC United – Regular season champions
- New England Revolution – MLS Cup Runner-up
- Chivas USA – Regular season runner-up (this spot would go to US Open Cup Champions but that was New England who is already in)
Mexico will also be sending 4 teams while Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama will each send 2 teams. Beleize, Nicaragua and Canada each send 1 team while 3 teams will come out of the Caribbean.
The first round of the tournament starts August 26th with all but the top 6 seeded teams playing home and away matches. Houston Dynamo and DC United are 2 of the 6 seeded teams that don’t have to play in the first round of matches.
