The format changed some this year. There are qualifying stages and three participants. First phase is were Alianza and Aguila begin and likely end their participation. They can't be drawn against each other. There are two pots for phase 1 with Alianza in pot 1. Aguila is in pot two. Santa Tecla enters in phase 2
Alianza got drawn with Platense (Honduras) Aguila with Real Esteli (Nicaragua) Still think both don't make it past this round. Nicaragua will show the ineptitude of our "big" clubs
Dont see Alianza maming any noise against Platense, but hoping the 'names' Aguila has push then through past Real Estelí
Platense is too inconsistent I think. Alianza should get through. It's the next round that they'll be bounced out since they'll go up against the winner Olimpia/Alajuelense series. Aguila I have mixed feelings. Casanova is uninspiring as manager and Fagundez + Henry Romero have left but they have picked up David Rugamas, Chino Flores and Inter Sanchez (though he only performs well on bad teams). They'll still be a work in progress but I think they'll squeak by.
Aguila play the home match today against Real Esteli. Alianza play the away match against Platense today as well. Haven't really seen either focus on this as much as was needed
Aguila starting lineup #SCL2017 | Así la formación de CD Águila para el partido que inicia a las 6:00 pm ante Real Estelí FC. #ElMásGrande⚫🍊 pic.twitter.com/5iVrYr6BTh— C.D. ÁGUILA (@cdaguilaoficial) August 2, 2017 Games available on concacaf's YouTube channel live
Águila 1-0 Real Esteli Platense 1-2Alianza I like Alianza chances to advance. I underestimated both teams
Watched the Aguila game, and the goals for Alianza (Fito with the goal and assist!). I couldn't help but wonder were Aguila not able to host the game at Estadio Juan Barraza instead? It's always an eyesore to see barely a quarter of Estadio Cuscatlan filled up.
Yup didn't meet concacaf standards. Which is sad because the standards aren't that strict. Clubs with much smaller budgets could meet them
Surprisingly both advanced but Aguila having to do so on penalties. Aug 8 results Real Esteli (Nicaragua) 1-0 Aguila pk (3-4) Alianza 2-1 Platense (Honduras) Aguila will now face the winner of Arabe Unido (Panama) or Central (T&T) Alianza will now face the winner of Alajuelense (Costa Rica) or Olimipia (Honduras)
I watched most of that game and Aguila was god awful Real Estelí easily could have taken that series. It does suck for Alianza they played good in both games (yeah they let up a bit) and the will probably end up facing Olimpia baring any comeback from Alajuelense.
Didnt get to see the game, but read reports. Aguila apparently got lucky and Real Esteli had a goal taken away. Its troubling because I personally feel they have the easier draw (not saying Arabe or Central are easy, but just not the bigger teams.) Hopefully they start to play better soon. Lets see if the big guns of ES perform well against Olimpia.
Next rounds games Aguila vs. Arabe Unido on August 16 and 23 Alianza vs. Olimpia on August 17 and 24 I again doubt either makes it past this round but maybe mczh will come by and tell us what the future results will be once more
That Alianza Olimpia game will be a good one. Again, lets see what the big guns of ES have in them. Larin got team of the week for his performce in the second game.
My hopes for Aguila aren't high. Seems too late for Pichi to have a real effect of the team's play style and Arabe Unido are pretty good. I'll be surprised if they advance. With Alianza, I'm more optimistic. Olimpia will probably underestimate them and get surprised in the Cusca but they could turn it around in Honduras. I'm hopeful they'll pull the upset though.
Aguila lost 2-0 Arabe Unido Highlight: External links: http://www.elgrafico.com/2017/08/17/aguila-complica-su-pase-a-semifinales-en-liga-concacaf
Alianza won 1-0 over Olimpia, Rodolfo Zelaya scored the lone goal. Highlight: External links: http://www.elgrafico.com/2017/08/18/el-alianza-y-rodolfo-zelaya-hacen-respetar-el-cuscatlan
Both are out and even though they did much better than I expected the way they went out is upsetting. I think this new format is better for our clubs than all the previous ones and I hope now with competition more at their level they prioritize this. It provides growth opportunities as well as opportunities for players to be scouted
I was hoping Águila could score the second goal, but it was very upsetting seeing Alianza go down that way. Ugh, last minutes against you are the worst.
Trucha you have to change the title of the thread to include the 2018 Santa Tecla Champions league. They surprised me last night. Pulling a 2-1 victory over the sounders in las delicias. This shows the importance of playing in your own stadium and preparing. Santa Tecla played a friendly against Dallas last week. They also had some luck because there where times in the game they left wide open spaces for the Sounders who did nothing with them. It’s going to be tough for them to get the result they need in Seattle but at least they made a game off it. Santa Tecla 2 - 1 Sounders FC Highlights | @santateclafc | @soundersfc #SCCL2018 pic.twitter.com/LEtuqvHvoB— Concacaf (@Concacaf) February 23, 2018
Santa Tecla used Tamacas, Dominguez, Quintanilla, Barahona, Cornejo, and Wilma Torres. These guys are all 23 years and under. 6 players who played a good game and can be used for the future. Too bad Kevin Reyes didn’t play. Should be fun in Seattle