Hey everyone, Here's what we know for now: The Nicaraguan representatives will be determined on Sunday; if Real Estelí overturn their 2-1 deficit to Diriangén in the Clausura Final, they will take on Club Franciscain and leave Walter Ferretti to handle the newly-branded UD Universitario (formerly Chorrillo FC). If Diriangén hold on, however, they will bump Ferretti up to Nicaragua 1 and accept Nicaragua 2 for themselves. Also, the format is the exact same as last year, with the only change being in the calendar: the tournament will run from July to November, ostensibly to give the teams involved and Concacaf more time to schedule travel and perhaps cut down on costs. Otherwise, the first team listed in each R16 series hosts the second leg: the winners of the odd-numbered series hosts the second leg of the quarterfinals; and second-leg hosting for the semifinals and Final will be based on the teams' record in the previous rounds. Finally, ties after 180 minutes are decided on away goals, then straight to penalties.
FINAL| Real Estelí 1-1 Diriangén| Global: DIR 3-2| Diriangén es CAMPEÓN del Clausura. pic.twitter.com/ja4YxdR6OY— FutbolNica (@FutbolNica) June 3, 2018 The new bracket: 1. Portmore United (JAM) vs. Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 2. Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) vs. Motagua (HON) 3. Walter Ferretti (NCA) vs. Club Franciscain (MTQ) 4. Real España (HON) vs. Tauro FC (PAN) 5. Arnett Gardens (JAM) vs. Árabe Unido (PAN) 6. Pérez Zeledón (CRC) vs. FAS (SLV) 7. UD Universitario (PAN) vs. Diriangén (NCA) 8. Santa Tecla (SLV) vs. Herediano (CRC)
The schedule is out...in prose, at least. I'm guessing UDN will only show live games on Thursday as it did last year (prioritizing Copa MX on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Worth noting that the extended calendar only affects the first round, with the R16 in July/August and the quarterfinals in late September. After that, the semifinals and Final will all get wrapped up in October.
Walter Ferretti and Diriangén will not be able to play their home games in Nicaragua; they'll have to get alternate venues like their Honduran counterparts had to do during the CCL this spring.
Update: Diriangén will be playing in Heredia, while the Walter Ferretti Wanderers could use some help finding a place to play (don't expect a down payment from them, though).
First legs played this week. Club Franciscain notched 1-0 win against Walter Ferretti - is this first-ever win for Martiniquais club in CONCACAF competitions? Return leg is to be played in Costa Rica, they are favorites to qualify to quarters. Portmore shocked me with a win at Santos Guapiles. Panama teams with three wins in three matches while Herediano was the only Costa Rican team to win - two other teams lost. Return legs are to be played next week.
Not the first time a team from Martinique has played in a Concacaf tournament, but I'd have to go back into the record books to see if they won a game before.
LOL! This tournament can be hard on the eyes at times, but every once in a while it gives us that Concacaf-tastic moment. This year? FAS knocking out Pérez Zeledón on a last-minute own goal
Perez Zeledon 1-1 FAS (FAS won aggregate 3-2 and would have been eliminated on away goals with a 1-0 loss) Belmopan Bandits 0-1 Motagua (Motagua won aggregate 3-0) Walter Ferretti 1-0 Club Franciscain (after both legs were 1-0 home wins, Walter Ferretti won penalty kicks 4-1 which is the most you can win penalty kicks by) Universitario 3-1 Diriangen (Universitario won aggregate 7-1) Santa Tecla 2-1 Herediano (aggregate 2-2, Herediano advanced on away goals)
2018 CONCACAF League Round of 16 Home team first Second Leg results: Tuesday, August 7 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) 0-1 Motagua (HON) Motagua advances on aggregate, 3-0. UD Universitario (PAN) 3-1 Diriangén (NCA) Universitario advances on aggregate, 7-1 Pérez Zeledón (CRC) 1-1 FAS (SLV) FAS advances on aggregate, 3-2. Wednesday, August 8 Walter Ferretti (NCA) 1-0 Club Franciscain (MTQ) 1-1 on aggregate and even on away goals. Walter Ferretti advances on penalties, 4-1 Santa Tecla (SLV) 2-1 Herediano (CRC) 2-2 on aggregate. Herediano advances on away goals, 1-0 Thursday, August 9 Arnett Gardens (JAM) 2-1 Arabe Unido (PAN) Arabe Unido advances on aggregate, 4-2. Portmore United (JAM) 1-2 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 3-3 on aggregate and even on away goals. Portmore United advances on penalties, 7-6 Real España (HON) 1-1 Tauro (PAN) Tauro advances on aggregate, 2-1. The Quarterfinals start on August 21.
The bracket (first team listed hosts return leg): Portmore United (JAM) vs. Motagua (HON) Walter Ferretti (NCA) vs. Tauro (PAN) --- Árabe Unido (PAN) vs. FAS (SLV) UD Universitario (PAN) vs. Herediano (CRC) Worth noting that this is now the best overall Caribbean performance in the CCL era since the Islanders signed off: every team won a game, and we even have one moving on to the next round!
2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are EDT First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 8:00 pm Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) v. UD Universitario (PAN) 10:00 pm Thursday, August 23 Motagua (HON) v. Portmore United (JAM) 8:00 pm Tauro (PAN) v. Walter Ferretti (NCA) 10:00 pm Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. FAS (SLV) 10:00 pm Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 10:00 pm Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Tauro (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC 8:00 pm Portmore United (PAN) v. Motagua (HON) 10:00 pm The Semifinals start on September 18.
The second Portmore United should say JAM. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would be surprised by a 10:00 P.M. start because Jamaica is in the Eastern Time Zone.
Whoops. I keep making those kinds of mistakes on the countries. I know better. I should have posted a disclaimer on the times. I was trying to translate what was posted. That is probably too late for them to host. Let me see if I can post an update with better information.
UPDATED: I'm still not sure about the times of the games. The CONCACAF website doesn't specify the time zone. I think it adjusts for the user's time zone. In my case that would be CDT. It shows all of the games at 9 CDT except for the Tauro and Ferretti home games at 7 pm CDT. It does have the the Portmore home game starting at 9 pm CDT (10 pm EDT). That would actually be at 9 pm EST in Jamaica since they do not go on Daylight Saving Time. That might be possible. I did update the time of the FAS home game on August 21. 2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are EDT First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 10:00 pm Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) v. UD Universitario (PAN) 10:00 pm Thursday, August 23 Tauro (PAN) v. Walter Ferretti (NCA) 8:00 pm Motagua (HON) v. Portmore United (JAM) 10:00 pm Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. FAS (SLV) 10:00 pm Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 10:00 pm Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Tauro (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC 8:00 pm Portmore United (JAM) v. Motagua (HON) 10:00 pm The Semifinals start on September 18.
A hilariously straightforward example of tournaments like these helping players in smaller leagues move on to better opportunities: Maalique Foster, arguably the architect of Santos de Guápiles' surprise first-round exit in the Concacaf League, just got signed by fellow Costa Rican club Alajuelense
Do the CCL and CL have any rules like UEFA that a player can't play for more than one club in one Champions League?
I definitely remember players going from one MLS club to another in the offseason and having to sit out the CCL knockout round (back when it was full-year) because of cap-tie rules.
Here are the regulations for the two tournaments: https://res.cloudinary.com/concacaf...ank_CONCACAF_Champions_League_Regulations.pdf https://res.cloudinary.com/concacaf...ts/2018_CONCACAF_League_Regulations_-_ENG.pdf This is the relevant section for the CONCACAF Champions League: Rule VI.(C) for the CONCACAF League has slightly different language but accomplishes the same thing: These rules do not preclude a player from appearing for one club in the CONCACAF League and then a different club in the subsequent CCL but you cannot switch clubs during a particular tournament.
FAS 0-1 Arabe Unido Herediano 3-0 Universitario Herediano and Arabe Unido are battling to host the second leg of their Semifinal. They both have 2 wins, 1 loss, 5 goals scored, and 2 goals allowed. If one of them wins by more than the other next week, that club will host the second leg of the Semifinal. Tonight has Tauro vs. Walter Ferretti followed by Motagua vs. Portmore United.
Neither of which will be on TV in the US, apparently - looks like UDN will prioritize MLS this evening.
2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are EDT First leg results: First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) 0-1 Arabe Unido (PAN) Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) 3-0 UD Universitario (PAN) Thursday, August 23 Motagua (HON) 3-2 Portmore United (JAM) Tauro (PAN) 3-1 Walter Ferretti (NCA) Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. FAS (SLV) 10:00 pm Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 10:00 pm Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Tauro (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC 8:00 pm Portmore United (JAM) v. Motagua (HON) 10:00 pm The Semifinals start on September 18.
UDN has since updated its schedule, and is going back to showing the Thursday games live. Particularly interested in watching if Portmore United can keep their impressive run going now that Maalique Foster has left the building...