going to central america for thanksgiving break sure does get me in the mood for this Also, no Goat invasion at the new stadium next year due to them getting dumped by Queretaro. don't want Morelia, got dammit you blue cementos. I can still see Pachuca though. Now i want for CCL, 1.Pachuca 2. UANL-battle of who's rey naranja 3. Queretaro-they haven't been to CCL i don't think.
Queretaro hadn't even been to the playoffs before this season much less won a championship or gotten close to any type of international competition.
Down to 4 teams for 2 CCL spots in the Liguilla, the Tigres-Gallos Blancos winner and the Santos-Monarcas winner next week will decide who qualifies.
and so our shot to see Pachuca in CCL is potentially pushed back to May 2012 as the Tuzos were eliminated tonight. That said, Santos or Morelia will be back from this year's addition, and, UANL could be back or the roosters will make their debut's. I think i'll have to go for UANL since the altitude in Queretaro will hurt us, Santos will eat us alive if we draw them.
Chorrillo of Panama quallified for their first ever champions league, by beating Plaza 4-1. They will either be Panama #1 or #2.
So as of today: Mexico: 4 (Apetura and Clausura winners to the group stage, Runners-up to the prelminary stage) Usa: 4 (Los Angeles and Seattle to the group stage, Houston and Real Salt Lake to the preliminary stage) Canada: 1 (Canadian challenge winner to the preliminary stage) Costa Rica: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, playoff to see who goes to group stage) Honduras: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, playoff to see who goes to group stage) Panama: 2 (Chorrillo and Clausura winners qualify, playoff to see who goes to group stage) Guatamala: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, playoff to see who goes to group stage) El Salvador: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners both go to preliminary stage) Nicaragua: 1 (Apertura and Clausura winners have a playoff to see who qualifies for the preliminary round) Belize: 1 (Apertura and Clausura winners have a playoff to see who qualifies for the preliminary round) Carribean: 3 (top three finishers in the Carribean tournament go to the preliminary round)
The playoffs between half-season champions in Central America were discontinued after the first CCL. Since 2009, the full-year record is used to decide which team gets the group stage spot (or the one spot available, in the case of Nicaragua and Belize), although how it is used is up to each association. For instance, Costa Rica counts playoff results, while El Salvador and Panama just use the regular season (Apertura + Clausura).
And Santos has now qualified for CCL once again by beating Morelia on a tie(breaker goes to higher seed). They are a favorite to win CCL imo, we better hope we don't draw them into our group if we progress from the prelim round.
at the time of this post, tigres is now up after a stupid,stupid own goal by the Roosters. Medio tiempo.
Dynamo v Tigres in meaningful CCL action is possible eh? That could be a pretty significant event. Really ramp up the competition.
time out-someone explain to me how Seattle qualified-did they have the next best SS record (since LAG won the Cup)?
Seattle double qualified. They won the U.S. Open Cup but since LA won both the Supporters' Shield and the Cup, Seattle moves up into the Supporters' Shield spot. That means that they are automatically in the Group Stage next year. RSL then moves into the other Qualifier spot by virtue of having the third best regular season point total but has to enter in the Preliminary Round like Houston.
I meant RSL-and that is what I figured but I wanted to make sure. So since LAG were double qualifiers and technically so was Seattle it bumps all the way down to RSL.
So as of today: Mexico: 4 (Tigres and Clausura winners to the group stage, Santos and Clausura Runner-up to the prelminary stage) Usa: 4 (Los Angeles and Seattle to the group stage, Houston and Real Salt Lake to the preliminary stage) Canada: 1 (Canadian challenge winner to the preliminary stage) Costa Rica: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Honduras: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Panama: 2 (Chorrillo and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Guatamala: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) El Salvador: 2 (Apertura and Clausura winners both go to preliminary stage) Nicaragua: 1 (Apertura or Clausura winner with best overall season qualifies for the preliminary round) Belize: 1 (Apertura or Clausura winner with best overall season qualifies for the preliminary round) Carribean: 3 (top three finishers in the Carribean tournament go to the preliminary round)
These appear to be the dates for the 2012 Preliminary and Group stage: Houston will have a home game in Leg 1 or 2 of the Preliminary Round and then, if we advance, 3 home games in the Group Stage. July 24-26 Preliminary Round Leg 1 July 31- Aug. 2 Preliminary Round Leg 2 Aug. 21-23 Group Stage Matchday #1 Aug. 28-30 Group Stage Matchday #2 Sept. 18-20 Group Stage Matchday #3 Sept. 25-27 Group Stage Matchday #4 Oct. 2-4 Group Stage Matchday #5 Oct. 23-25 Group Stage Matchday #6
Updated as of January, 2012: Mexico: 4 (Tigres and Clausura winners to the group stage, Santos and Clausura Runner-up to the prelminary stage) USA: 4 (Los Angeles and Seattle to the group stage, Houston and Real Salt Lake to the preliminary stage) Canada: 1 (Canadian challenge winner to the preliminary stage) Costa Rica: 2 (Alajuelense and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Honduras: 2 (Olimpia and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Panama: 2 (Chorrillo and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) Guatamala: 2 (Municipal and Clausura winners qualify, better full season goes to group stage) El Salvador: 2 (Isidro Metapán and Clausura winners both go to preliminary stage) Nicaragua: 1 (Apertura or Clausura winner with best overall season qualifies for the preliminary round) Belize: 1 (Apertura or Clausura winner with best overall season qualifies for the preliminary round) Carribean: 3 (top three finishers in the Caribbean tournament go to the preliminary round)
The Champions' League format has been changed: http://www.concacaf.com/page/CL/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2575174,00.html There will still be 24 teams in the tournament but no more Preliminary Round. There will be 8 groups of 3 teams each. Only the winner from each group will advance to the Knockout Stage. Pots for the Draw. Every group will have a Mexican or a USA team but no group will have two teams from the same country. That means that our Group will not have a Mexican team. Pot A USA 1 USA 2 MEX 1 MEX 2 CRC 1 GUA 1 HON 1 PAN 1 POT B USA 3 USA 4 MEX 3 MEX 4 CAN 1 SLV 1 CRC 2 HON 2 POT C CFU 1 CFU 2 CFU 3 BLZ 1 NIC 1 SLV 2 GUA 2 PAN 2 DATES July 31, Aug 1, 2 Aug 21, 22, 23 Aug 28, 29, 30 Sept 18, 19, 20 Sept 25, 26, 27 Oct 23, 24, 25 Teams would have games on 4 of those 6 matchdays.
So our group would be: 1. CRC 1, GUA 1, HON 1, or PAN 1 2. USA 3 (Dynamo) 3. CFU 1, CFU 2, CFU 3, BLZ 1, NIC 1, SLV 2, GUA 2, or PAN 2
I really like this format change, btw is this the first good idea to come out of CONCACAF headquarters ever? I believe we should win our group but i wouldn't be surprised if we don't
Depends who we get drawn against from that first Pot. And how the game order works out. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of these are groups are split points Home and Away between the top 2 and it comes to G.D. against team #3. This looks a lot more dangerous to me than the old system.