2016-17 CCL Qualifiers [R]

After DC United and Seattle fell out of the MLS Cup playoffs this weekend, only Portland winning the whole thing would prevent the Columbus Crew claiming the last US berth in the CCL.

 

In other news, the Panamanian Apertura semifinals are set: Plaza Amador will continue their Quixotic quest to qualify for the Champions League against first-place Árabe Unido, while Chepo will try and keep it tight in the back against Chorrillo (sorry Mexicans, couldn't help myself ). The home-and-away series will take place over the next two weekends.

 

No one qualified this weekend, but we've narrowed things down in North America.

In MLS, all hand-me-down scenarios are off: Columbus Crew will host Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Final next Sunday, and the winner gets the last CCL berth for the US.

Further south, the Liga MX Apertura semifinals are set:

Pumas UNAM vs. Club América
Toluca FC vs. Tigres UANL

Both finalists will qualify.

Also, the first Central American qualifier will emerge from Panama, as Árabe Unido and Chorrillo contest the one-game Apertura final on Saturday.

Finally, the democratization of Nicaraguan football continues, as neither Real Estelí nor Walter Ferretti have reached the Apertura final. Rather, UNAN (National Autonomous University of Nicaragua) and Diriangén will face off for the first "half-ticket" on offer.

 

In Panama, the Pepto-Bismol kicked in right before the penalty shootout, as Chorrillo dried up completely...I'll be here until Thursday. Árabe Unido won 3-0 on PKs after a 1-1 draw to seal their 14th league title (two more than a certain Ferrari @jared9999 ) and a return to Champions League action next year.

Tomorrow, three more teams will join them as the MLS postseason and the Liga MX Apertura semifinals wrap up.

2016-17 CCL Qualifiers

1. Vancouver Whitecaps [CAN]
2. Sporting Kansas City [USA]
3. FC Dallas [USA]
4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
5. Árabe Unido [PAN]

 

Honestly, all jokes aside: chapeau, América. After 180 minutes of pure rivalry football and 4 (!!) red cards, all to the águilas, Pumas barely etched out a 4-3 aggregate win. Mind you, in the last five minutes, Pumas were just one mistake from crashing out on away goals...but the best team in the Mexican regular season will reach the Apertura final and follow their 2016 Copa Libertadores participation with their first Champions League campaign in five seasons.

2016-17 CCL Qualifiers

1. Vancouver Whitecaps [CAN]
2. Sporting Kansas City [USA]
3. FC Dallas [USA]
4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
5. Árabe Unido [PAN]
6. Pumas UNAM [MEX]

 

After a first 15 minutes fraught with mistakes (two goalkeeping errors and a missed out-of-bounds call), Portland Timbers made their 2-1 lead stick and were unfortunate not to grab a third. They'll return to the Champions League, and this time with a trophy to boot. Btw, this opens up the possibility of another all-Cascadian Champions League showdown next year.

2016-17 CCL Qualifiers

1. Vancouver Whitecaps [CAN]
2. Sporting Kansas City [USA]
3. FC Dallas [USA]
4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
5. Árabe Unido [PAN]
6. Pumas UNAM [MEX]
7. Portland Timbers [USA]

 

Lastly, Tigres will play their third final in the last three seasons, as they beat Toluca 2-0 in their own house and won their semifinal series by the same score.

2016-17 CCL Qualifiers

1. Vancouver Whitecaps [CAN]
2. Sporting Kansas City [USA]
3. FC Dallas [USA]
4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
5. Árabe Unido [PAN]
6. Pumas UNAM [MEX]
7. Portland Timbers [USA]
8. Tigres UANL [MEX]

 

In spite of a valiant Pumas fight back from 3-0 to tie the series 3-3 on aggregate, then 4-4 in extra time, they finally ran out of steam in the penalty shootout, losing 3-2 to Mexican Apertura champions Tigres.

Mind you, Tigres winning doesn't matter for our purposes, since all Mexican qualifiers now go into the same pot; but unless the FMF has changed its hand-me-down rules, Pumas winning the Clausura or facing Tigres again in the Clausura final would drag Toluca into the 2016-17 Champions League.

 

Almost forgot to mention: if Pumas were to defeat Toluca in the Clausura final, then the hand-me-down spot would go to Chiapas FC.

Back to current CCL qualifying: after a ridiculous [/Taylor Twellman] 3-3 draw in Tegucigalpa, Honduras Progreso will host the second leg of the Honduran Apertura final against Motagua on Saturday. The Salvadoran final between FAS and Alianza will take place on Sunday, while the Costa Rican final will wrap up on the 23rd.

 

Former New England Revolution and fringe US forward, now commentator with ESPN. Equal parts jock, frat boy and actual color analyst, so about 2/3 of what he has to say ends up cringeworthy.

Thanks, I couldn't find that information elsewhere.

 

After a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the Honduran final, Honduras Progreso held their nerve in front of their home fans, overcoming Motagua 4-1 on penalties to win their first-ever championship - a huge accomplishment for a team that only recently moved up to the first division. Even better, they did it with none other than Belize's own Woodrow West between the sticks.

Up next: Guatemala will send the second CCL debutant today, as Antigua look to overcome a 2-1 deficit to Guastatoya from the first leg of the Apertura final.

2016-17 CCL Qualifiers

1. Vancouver Whitecaps [CAN]
2. Sporting Kansas City [USA]
3. FC Dallas [USA]
4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
5. Árabe Unido [PAN]
6. Pumas UNAM [MEX]
7. Portland Timbers [USA]
8. Tigres UANL [MEX]
9. Honduras Progreso [HON]