Carrying this over from the qualifying thread... Here are the pots for tomorrow's draw (8:00 p.m., US Eastern): Pot 1 LD Alajuelense (CRC) Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) Honduras Progreso (HON) Real Estelí (NCA) Árabe Unido (PAN) Plaza Amador (PAN) Alianza (SLV) Pot 2 Portmore United (JAM) Central FC (TRI) Platense (HON) Walter Ferretti (NCA) Águila (SLV) Santos de Guápiles (GUA-CRC) Olimpia (GUA-HON) Chorrillo FC (GUA-PAN) The Pot 1 teams will get drawn against a Pot 2 opponent for the Round of 16, with the Pot 1 side hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association can't face each other; mind you, given the redistribution of berths that happened (given Guatemala's ongoing suspension from FIFA), the three teams marked as GUA- are Guatemalan for the purposes of this draw and can be drawn against an opponent from their respective countries. An All-Caribbean series (San Juan Jabloteh - Portmore United) technically out of the question either. The R16 series will be numbered 1 through 8, and the winners of the odd-numbered series will host the second leg in the quarterfinals, which will presumably be 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, 5 vs. 6 and 7 vs. 8. From there, the semifinalists will be ranked based on their performance in the previous rounds (I'm guessing the standard points, GD, GF, then away goals scored) and play off 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3, with the higher seed hosting the second leg in this round and in the Final.
Quick correction: the draw will be at 7:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern tomorrow, broadcast on UDN in the US and FOX Sports in Latin America (presumably LatAm north, i.e. from Mexico to Colombia).
The full draw: 1. San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) vs. Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 2. Honduras Progreso (HON) vs. Chorrillo FC (PAN) 3. Árabe Unido (PAN) vs. Central FC (TRI) 4. Real Estelí (NCA) vs. Águila (SLV) 5. LD Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Olimpia (HON) 6. Alianza (SLV) vs. Platense (HON) 7. Plaza Amador (PAN) vs. Portmore United (JAM) 8. Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) vs. Walter Ferretti (NCA) As noted before, the winners of series 1, 3, 5 and 7 will host the second leg of their respective quarterfinals with the winners of 2, 4, 6 and 8. One thing that CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio clarified this evening is that the semifinals will confirm to the same bracket: Winner of 1v2 vs. Winner of 3v4 Winner of 5v6 vs. Winner of 7v8 With the team having the better record from the previous rounds hosting the second leg.
Things broke favorably for Panama - I'd see Árabe and Plaza as favorites in their respective quadrants. I don't see clear favorites in the other two, though...
So this is the CL logo. Will we see new logo for CCL too? I expect Arabe Unido - Alajuelense/Olimpia in final.
I'm expecting an all Honduran final between Progreso and Olimpia. I would have Arabe in there but I think they're set to lose a few important players -- and they've already had difficulties replacing the ones who left last transfer window.
this format is a fu**ng joke for historical teams like Alajuelense or Olimpia. CONCACAF staff have not respect for these clubs, they are only slaves for MLS and their money. Alajuelense vs Olimpia and Bandits vs Walter Ferreti in first preliminary round, what the hell? they don't hear about club coefficients? about seeds and unseeds? A child of 10 years old can manage better a continental competition like this. Shame for these idiots
Keep in mind that Olimpia shouldn't even be here. They only got in because someone had to replace the last team from Guatemala...
Olimpia or Alajuelense will win this & qualify to the CCL What do you think @Catracho_Azul @TavoElTico
The Round of 16 schedule, c/o CONCACAF: *ET (local time) & home team listed first Tuesday, August 1, 2017 20:00 (19:00) Chorrillo FC (PAN) v CD Honduras Progreso (HON) 22:00 (20:00) Santos de Guapiles FC (CRC) v San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) Wednesday, August 2, 2017 20:00 (18:00) CD Aguila (SLV) v Real Esteli FC (NCA) 20:00 (19:00) Portmore United FC (JAM) v CD Plaza Amador (PAN) 22:00 (20:00) Platense FC (HON) v Alianza FC (SLV) Thursday, August 3, 2017 20:00 (18:00) CD Olimpia (HON) v LD Alajuelense (CRC) 20:00 (20:00) Central FC (TRI) v Deportivo Arabe Unido (PAN) 22:00 (20:00) CD Walter Ferretti (NCA) v Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) Tuesday, August 8, 2017 20:00 (18:00) Real Esteli FC (NCA) v CD Aguila (SLV) 20:00 (20:00) San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) v Santos de Guapiles FC (CRC) 22:00 (20:00) Alianza FC (SLV) v Platense FC (HON) Wednesday, August 9, 2017 20:00 (19:00) CD Plaza Amador (PAN) v Portmore United FC (JAM) 22:00 (20:00) CD Honduras Progreso (HON) v Chorrillo FC (PAN) Thursday, August 10, 2017 20:00 (19:00) Deportivo Arabe Unido (PAN) v Central FC (TRI) 22:00 (20:00) Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) v CD Walter Ferretti (NCA) 22:00 (20:00) LD Alajuelense (CRC) v CD Olimpia (HON)
The link says the Quarterfinals will be played in the two weeks after the Round of 16. That's unlike the CONCACAF Champions League, when there was a midweek off between rounds.
A couple of tidbits from the regulations ahead of kickoff this evening: First, no extra time will be played throughout the tournament. Series will be decided on aggregate, then away goals; if still tied, then straight to penalties. And FINALLY!!! CONCACAF spells out the hand-me-down procedures for Central America. The tl;dr version is that outside of Costa Rica and Nicaragua (where a Final may or may not be played depending on if the regular season winner doesn't also win the 2nd-round group), runners-up now get preference for CL berths across the region.
CONCACAF Notebook: CONCACAF League Preview https://t.co/clYjHzZm9q— Jose Antonio Carmona (@ElChicoCarmona) August 2, 2017
No coincidence that Olimpia/Alajuelense is the only matchup UDN is showing this week... Btw: "This is a battle of minnows, as both teams have fared poorly in past CCLs." Have Belmopan Bandits ever been in the CCL? I know they qualified once and then got replaced by Herediano due to their stadium situation; but off the top of my head, the only Belize teams that have played in the CCL are Verdes (formerly Hankook Verdes) and Police Utd.
http://www.concacafleague.com/en is a website for it separate from http://www.concacaf.com and you can make predictions at http://www.concacafleaguepredictor.com/
They haven't participated, but I was referring to representatives of the Belize League in general, as it is a very weak league.
Paul your predictions are looking pretty good after the first set of games. I expect some team to implode next week though. 1. San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) 2-6 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 2. Honduras Progreso (HON) 0-1 Chorrillo FC (PAN) 3. Árabe Unido (PAN) 2-1 Central FC (TRI) 4. Real Estelí (NCA) 0-1 Águila (SLV) 5. LD Alajuelense (CRC) 0-2 Olimpia (HON) 6. Alianza (SLV) 2-1 Platense (HON) 7. Plaza Amador (PAN) 0-1 Portmore United (JAM) 8. Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) 1-4 Walter Ferretti (NCA)