2008-2009 Champions' League Group Stage Draw and Schedule

[EvanJ]

http://concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4218 is my source, but the following sentences were typed by me, not CONCACAF.

D.C. United has had recent success in the Champions' Cup but has a tough Group A with Deportivo Saprissa from Costa Rica and Cruz Azul from Mexico (assuming the later beats Hankook Verdes from Belize). Either Isidro Metapan from El Salvador, Olimpia from Honduras, or Marathon from Honduras will be the final team in the group (the Olimpia-Marathon loser will be in this group).

The teams with a bye to Group B are Houston Dynamo and CD Luis Angel Firpo. The loser of the Guatemalan Municipal-Jalapa playoff or San Francisco from Panama will be in this group along with either Harbour View from Jamaica or Pumas UNAM from Mexico. I think Houston and Pumas UNAM are likely to advance here.

Group C will have 2008 Champions' Cup first round loser Atlante from Mexico and the Olimpia-Marathon playoff winner from Honduras with a bye to the group stage. This group could have two Major League Soccer (MLS) teams if the New England Revolution beat Joe Public from Trinidad and Tobago and Toronto FC wins the Canadian championship and then defeats the Nicaraguan champion (the latter should be easy). Considering New England is currently tops in the 2008 MLS standings and Toronto FC is also doing well, I could see the Honduran team finishing last here. Olimpia faired poorly when they played D.C. United from MLS in the 2007 Champions' Cup.

Club Santos Laguna and the winner of the Guatemalan playoff between Municipal and Jalapa get byes to Group D. LD Alajuelense from Costa Rica, who sometimes qualified for the Champions' Cup, will be here if they can defeat Puerto Rico Islanders. If Chivas USA from MLS defeats the Panamanian team Tauro, this group could have all four teams from MLS, Mexico, or Costa Rica like Group 1.

Vote for the most difficult group in the poll and you can post your rankings of all four groups if you want.

Merge this topic into a previous one if necessary.

[la fresa]

Group stage pairings announced, along with dates and what not.

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ Preliminary Round
Home Team Listed First – All Kickoff Times Eastern Standard
(Schedule Subject to Change)
First-legs
26.08
CFU2: Joe Public FC (TRI) – USA3: New England Revolution (20:00)
PAN2: Tauro FC – USA4: Chivas USA (20:00)
MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul – BLZ1: Hankook Verdes (22:00)

27.08
CAN1: Canadian Champion – NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion (TBD)
CRC2: LD Alajuelense – CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) (22:00)
SLV2: AD Isidro Metapan – HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (22:00)

28.08
CFU1: Harbour View FC (JAM) – MEX3: Pumas UNAM (20:00)
GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa – PAN1: San Francisco FC (22:00)

Second-legs
02.09
USA3: New England Revolution – CFU2: Joe Public FC (TRI) (20:00)
USA4: Chivas USA – PAN2: Tauro FC (22:00)
NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion – CAN1: Canadian Champion (20:00)

03.09
CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) – CRC2: LD Alajuelense (20:00)
BLZ1: Hankook Verdes – MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul (22:00)
HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon – SLV2: CD Isidro Metapan (22:00)

04.09
PAN1: San Francisco FC – GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (20:00)
MEX3: Pumas UNAM – CFU1: Harbour View FC (JAM) (22:00)

The Preliminary Stage winners will join the eight seeded teams (MEX1, MEX2, USA1, USA2, CRC1, GUA1, HON1, SLV1) in the Group Stage that consists of four groups of four teams each.

The top two clubs from each of the four groups will advance to the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. These eight teams will be drawn into four Quarterfinal pairings to play home-and-away match-ups in February 2009. The four Quarterfinal winners will then play in two Semifinal home-and-away match-ups in March and April 2009 with the two Semifinal winners squaring-off in the home-and-away 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League™ Final in late April 2009.

The CONCACAF Champions League™ winner will qualify as the CONCACAF representative to the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ Group Stage
(Schedule Subject to Change)
Group A
USA2: D.C. United
CRC1: Deportivo Saprissa
Series 4 Winner: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes
Series 8 Winner: Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon

Schedule, Home Team Listed First (All Kickoff Time Eastern Standard)
16.09: D.C. United – Deportivo Saprissa (20:00)
17.09: Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (22:00)
23.09: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Deportivo Saprissa (TBD)
24.09: Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon – D.C. United (22:00)
30.09: Deportivo Saprissa – Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon (22:00)
01.10: D.C. United – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (20:00)
07.10: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon (20:00)
09.10: Deportivo Saprissa – D.C. United (22:00)
21.10: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – D.C. United (22:00)
23.10: Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon – Deportivo Saprissa (20:00)
29.10: D.C. United – Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon (20:00)
29.10: Deportivo Saprissa – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (20:00)

Group B
USA1: Houston Dynamo
SLV1: CD Luis Angel Firpo
Series 1 Winner: Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco FC
Series 5 Winner: Harbour View FC or Pumas UNAM

Schedule, Home Team Listed First (All Kickoff Time Eastern Standard)
16.09: Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco – Harbour View or Pumas (TBD)
17.09: Houston Dynamo – CD Luis Angel Firpo (22:00)
23.09: Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
24.09: Harbour View or Pumas – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)
30.09: Harbour View or Pumas – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
02.10: CD Luis Angel Firpo – Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco (20:00)
08.10: Houston Dynamo – Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco (22:00)
09.10: CD Luis Angel Firpo – Harbour View or Pumas (22:00)
22.10: Houston Dynamo – Harbour View or Pumas (22:00)
22.10: Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)
28.10: CD Luis Angel Firpo – Houston Dynamo (22:00)
29.10: Harbour View or Pumas – Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco (TBD)

Group C
MEX1: Atlante FC
HON1: CD Olímpia or CD Marathon
Series 2 Winner: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution
Series 7 Winner: CAN1 or NCA1

Schedule, Home Team Listed First (All Kickoff Time Eastern Standard)
17.09: CAN1 or NCA1 – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (TBD)
18.09: Atlante – HON1 (22:00)
24.09: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – HON1 (20:00)
24.09: CAN1 or NCA1 – Atlante (TBD)
30.09: Atlante – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (20:00)
02.10: HON1 – CAN1 or NCA1 (22:00)
08.10: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – CAN1 or NCA1 (20:00)
08.10: HON1 – Atlante (22:00)
21.10: CAN1 or NCA1 – HON1 (TBD)
21.10: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – Atlante (20:00)
28.10: HON1 – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (20:00)
28.10: Atlante – CAN1 or NCA1 (22:00)

Group D
MEX2: Club Santos Laguna
GUA1: CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Series 3 Winner: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders
Series 6 Winner: Chivas USA or Tauro FC

Schedule, Home Team Listed First (All Kickoff Time Eastern Standard)
16.09: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Chivas USA or Tauro (TBD)
17.09: Club Santos Laguna – GUA1 (20:00)
23.09: Chivas USA or Tauro – GUA1 (TBD)
25.09: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)
01.10: GUA1 – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (20:00)
01.10: Chivas USA or Tauro – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)
07.10: GUA1 – Chivas USA or Tauro (22:00)
08.10: Club Santos Laguna – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (20:00)
22.10: Club Santos Laguna – Chivas USA or Tauro (20:00)
23.10: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – GUA1 (TBD)
29.10: Chivas USA or Tauro – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (TBD)
30.10: GUA1 – Club Santos Laguna (22:00)

Quarterfinals
24-26 February: First-legs
3-5 March: Second-legs

Semifinals
17-19 March: First-legs
7-9 April: Second-legs

Final
21-23 April: First-leg
28-30 April: Second-leg

http://concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4218

if there is such a thing as a group of death, i'd say it'll be in group A. Even though DC tends to stink up international competitions.

[EvanJ]

According to the board I posted just before you, and my topic has a poll.

[la fresa]

oops. didn't see it when i went to start this topic. delete.

[MoRado]

According to the board I posted just before you, and my topic has a poll.

Its OK, I just used my merge-superpower!

[Azuran]

Group C is awesome for me. Hopefully Olimpia and TFC end up together.

Group A is without a doubt the most difficult group. DC United, Saprissa, Cruz Azul and Marathon (Hah, there's no way my Olimpia is losing to them) are all excellent teams and the first three could all challenge for the championship.

I'm liking this tournament so far. Lots of epic matches in the group stage.

[MoRado]

group A may be the group of the death and group B could be a joke (if the favorites win the preliminary round)

[Nerroth]

Group A is gonna be a lot of fun - especially if all 4 teams are in good form going into the series.

I can't wait!


Also, looks like the Canadian representatives (Vancouver have a good chance at pipping TFC, but I'm not sure that Swangard would be as atmospheric as BMO Field for home games - but then, maybe in a few years, when the 'Caps move into a renovated BC Place, they might have a pretty good home setup!) will have an interesting time of it, if they can get into Group C.



You know what? I can't wait for the CCL to get going!

[dc0011]

I have a question for you guys, If this cup ever merged with Copa Libertadores, would you guys agree with it? I think i would be awesome to have a cup with all those teams from different countries...although there is always going to be people that disagree with my opinion.

[el chingon]

I have a question for you guys, If this cup ever merged with Copa Libertadores, would you guys agree with it? I think i would be awesome to have a cup with all those teams from different countries...although there is always going to be people that disagree with my opinion.

It's not even worth talking about it, it will never happen.

BTW, i think Santos got an easy group, they should have no trouble advancing in 1st place.

[Otaku]

It has been discussed many times, also making the Copa America the only NT club competition for N. and S. America. It wouldn't be a bad idea to me. Just my opinion, don't mean to derail the thread.

[Panfilo]

Santos v Pumas
Cruz Azul v Atlante

Santos v Cruz Azul

Santos wins it all.

:p

[City Dave]

Video of draw and schedule:

ssvrlP68yy0

Less awkward than the preliminary draw. I think they made the balls easier to open for the chick.

[Azuran]

Video of draw and schedule:

ssvrlP68yy0

Less awkward than the preliminary draw. I think they made the balls easier to open for the chick.

Anyone noticed that San Francisco's box has Marathon's logo.

[ChcgoStingInMyBlood]

I've never seen such a nervous man in my whole life, and I've been to my share of weddings...

Was Dr. Jack behind the camera with a gun?

[Nazzer]

Santos v Pumas
Cruz Azul v Atlante

Santos v Cruz Azul

Santos wins it all.

:p

That depends how they do the quarterfinal draw. Will they pair up first place's vs 2nd places? Will they make sure to keep countries seperate until the semis? I have a feeling they would NOT put measures in place to ensure that the quarterfinals keep teams from the same country seperate as concacaf would probably prefer financially to see at least 2 different countries represented in the semis, and even the finals if possible.

[jared9999]

I have a question for you guys, If this cup ever merged with Copa Libertadores, would you guys agree with it? I think i would be awesome to have a cup with all those teams from different countries...although there is always going to be people that disagree with my opinion.

if this cup merged with Copa Libertadores only Santos, Cruz Azul, and Pumas would reach the rd of 16 or better and all the others would get their asses kicked

[Bujias]

if this cup merged with Copa Libertadores only Santos, Cruz Azul, and Pumas would reach the rd of 16 or better and all the others would get their asses kicked

If Atlas got to the rd of 8, Saprissa could get out of the group stage.

[jared9999]

If Atlas got to the rd of 8, Saprissa could get out of the group stage.

Atlas is better than Saprissa, so you would not know that for certain

[DANNO49]

I am a Galaxy fan. But I will hold my nose and go watch the Goats. Of course I will root for the other teams. As long as they are not Santos. I refuse to root for a Mexican side. Has anyone thought the Quarterfinals are at the end of February and the begining of March. What if the Revs and Toronto or Montreal make that far? Bring your long underwear.:rolleyes::D:D