No changes to the "perfect attendance" list: Olimpia outlasted Marathón 4-2 on penalties to win the Honduran Clausura and return to the CCL. I almost forgot to mention: América's collapse means that they will settle for the MEX3 spot, leaving no hand-me-down berth for the highest team in the Apertura regular season not yet qualified...good thing Santos Laguna are still in the current playoffs. 2014-15 CCL Qualifiers 1) DC United [USA4] 2) New York Red Bulls [USA2] 3) Portland Timbers [USA3] 4) Sporting Kansas City [USA1] 5) Tauro [PAN1 or PAN2] 6) Club América [MEX3] 7) Club León [MEX1] 8) Comunicaciones [GUA1] 9) Real España [HON2] 10) Isidro Metapán [SLV1 or SLV2] 11) LD Alajuelense [CRC1] 12) Real Estelí [NCA] 13) Puerto Rico Bayamón FC (PUR) [CFU] 14) Waterhouse FC (JAM) [CFU] 15) Alpha United (GUY) [CFU] 16) Olimpia [HON1]
I agree. Not sure if you'd include it as a separate berth or include it among a country's total allocation, but it should be done.
I would include it in a country's total allocation. Mexico has 4 slots, it would be 3+1: 1 and 2 = Clausura and Apertura winners 3 = team with the best combined record in Clausura and Apertura OR Clausura's or Apertura's runner up with the better overall record 4 = title holder. Same would be applied for the other nations too. It's a little bit harsh not to allow them to defend their title, they won it in the CCL, not in their domestic league. Here in UEFA they included Liverpool (as title holder failing to qualify via league) into the first qualifying round in 2005-06 and, when that happened (for the first time), they made the rule that title holder has direct berth for next season's competition - if they (title holders) fail to qualify via league, they will replace it's country's worst qualified team - as Chelsea did few years later - finished 5th, replaced 4th placed Tottenham who were downgraded to Europa League.
That would most likely means it would be five Mexican teams which might be a bit much. In my opinion because their teams are more dominant it would make the tournament less interesting
According to the FMF's hand-me-down rules: If León make it, then the other finalist (Pachuca or Santos Laguna) automatically gets the MEX2 spot, and MEX4 gets passed down the Clausura table...to Cruz Azul.
A trio of updates: - At least one former champion will take part in this next CCL, as Pachuca lost 2-4 at Santos Laguna, tied 4-4 on aggregate and won 2-0 on away goals to reach the Mexican Clausura final. - Speaking of former champions (all-time): Saprissa's de facto international exile has come to an end, as they beat Alajuelense 1-0 to claim the Torneo de Verano title, their 30th (a record in CONCACAF) and good for Costa Rica's second berth. Herediano will now have to wait and hope that Belize fails the stadium inspection in order to grab the wild card spot. - Lastly, Plaza Amador pulled a Plaza Amador, losing 1-0 to Chorrillo (1-1 on aggregate) and crashing out 4-2 on penalties. 465347012444323840 is not a valid tweet id The big winner: their archrivals Tauro, now owners of a top seed. The big loser: Panamanian football - the Clausura final will award their final Champions League spot to either Chorrillo (who took some horrible beatings from Monterrey)...or Río Abajo, who have already been relegated to the LNA (second division). Apparently Panama doesn't copy Mexico's "relegation = playoff disqualification" rule. 2014-15 CCL Qualifiers 1) DC United [USA4] 2) New York Red Bulls [USA2] 3) Portland Timbers [USA3] 4) Sporting Kansas City [USA1] 5) Tauro [PAN1] 6) Club América [MEX3] 7) Club León [MEX1] 8) Comunicaciones [GUA1] 9) Real España [HON2] 10) Isidro Metapán [SLV1 or SLV2] 11) LD Alajuelense [CRC1] 12) Real Estelí [NCA] 13) Puerto Rico Bayamón FC (PUR) [CFU] 14) Waterhouse FC (JAM) [CFU] 15) Alpha United (GUY) [CFU] 16) Olimpia [HON1] 17) CF Pachuca [MEX2 or MEX4] 18) Deportivo Saprissa [CRC2]
So, it's possible to see second division team from Panama in CCL. If Belize fails again with that criteria stuff, their berth should be cancelled for good.
All settled in Mexico: León knocked off Toluca 1-0 at the Nemesio Diez, and 2-0 on aggregate, to reach the Clausura final. According to the FMF's hand-me-down rules, this means that Pachuca get the last top seed, and Cruz Azul actually get something for finishing as superlider in the Clausura regular season: the MEX4 spot and the chance to defend their title. 2014-15 CCL Qualifiers 1) DC United [USA4] 2) New York Red Bulls [USA2] 3) Portland Timbers [USA3] 4) Sporting Kansas City [USA1] 5) Tauro [PAN1] 6) Club América [MEX3] 7) Club León [MEX1] 8) Comunicaciones [GUA1] 9) Real España [HON2] 10) Isidro Metapán [SLV1 or SLV2] 11) LD Alajuelense [CRC1] 12) Real Estelí [NCA] 13) Puerto Rico Bayamón FC (PUR) [CFU] 14) Waterhouse FC (JAM) [CFU] 15) Alpha United (GUY) [CFU] 16) Olimpia [HON1] 17) CF Pachuca [MEX2] 18) Deportivo Saprissa [CRC2] 19) Cruz Azul [MEX4]
It's good to see you're online right now, and not celebrating up and down your block again with a beer in your hand. Neighbors might trip eventually >_>
Safe to assume that if Comunicaciones makes the final, Municipal gets a berth? Also, very strongly rooting for CD Dragon to win the El Salvadoran Clausura.
That is correct. Municipal knocked off Heredia in the Guatemalan Clausura semifinals, so they would get GUA2 as the best runner-up over the full year.
CCL has been played for 6 seasons now, they always had a berth but competed only once, in season #1 when there were no stadium criteria. If you (FA, government, city councils, clubs) can't reconstruct stadium in five years and make minimum conditions, you should face serious consequences. Ridiculous.
And those consequences are having their CCL berth reallocated... I dont see having this removed for good will help the situation.
It is funny that they are always included, but never take part as they can't fulfill stadium criteria. Why do they include them then? Seems they don't want to take part in the top continental competition, why wouldn't CONCACAF just remove them from entry list, they won't mind it.
It should be mentioned that all but the last two years were wasted under former FFB President Dr. Bertie Chimilio, Uncle Jack's Belizean Mini-Me. Among other misdemeanors, he regularly put off improvements to FFB Stadium in favor of hosting World Cup games in Guatemala - a blatant affront to the Belizean national identity, considering the two countries' history - and against Mexico in Houston, the profits from which disappeared once he left office. So it turned out: Comunicaciones knocked off Xelajú to reach the Clausura final and hand Guatemala's last berth to their archrivals. We are now just waiting for the second teams from El Salvador and Panama, the Canadian champion...and Herediano, let's face it. 2014-15 CCL Qualifiers 1) DC United [USA4] 2) New York Red Bulls [USA2] 3) Portland Timbers [USA3] 4) Sporting Kansas City [USA1] 5) Tauro [PAN1] 6) Club América [MEX3] 7) Club León [MEX1] 8) Comunicaciones [GUA1] 9) Real España [HON2] 10) Isidro Metapán [SLV1 or SLV2] 11) LD Alajuelense [CRC1] 12) Real Estelí [NCA] 13) Puerto Rico Bayamón FC (PUR) [CFU] 14) Waterhouse FC (JAM) [CFU] 15) Alpha United (GUY) [CFU] 16) Olimpia [HON1] 17) CF Pachuca [MEX2] 18) Deportivo Saprissa [CRC2] 19) Cruz Azul [MEX4] 20) Municipal [GUA2]
Rio Abajo and either Dragon or Juventud Independiente are still in it for the final two open Central American spots. If none of them qualify, every Central American club in the tournament will be a repeat entrant.
That changes my opinion drastically then, especially as I am familiar with "Jack Warners" in my own backyard = Croatian football. I hope new "forces" will do something to move forward.
its good that both Saprissa and Alajuela are both in the CCL, If I´m not mistaken the last time both were in it was in 2006 when both reached the semifinals. Where the 2 best in Costa Rica played the 2 best in Mexico