Forge FC* will play vs Antigua GFC in the preliminary round. The winner will play against Olimpia of Honduras *Assuming Forge FC is the Canadian representative 1134274959138856960 is not a valid tweet id
As the worse seed, Forge will have the first leg at home for at least three rounds if they get that far, with hosting in the Semifinals and Final determined by results in the previous rounds. If Forge beats Antigua GFC and Olimpia, their Quarterfinal opponent will also be from Honduras or Guatemala. It will be Marathon of Honduras or Comunicaciones or Guastatoya of Guatemala. Possible Semifinal opponents include Saprissa of Costa Rica and Tauro and Independiente of Panama.
I could see Canada2 (Forge or otherwise) getting past Antigua GFC. Getting past Olimpia will be much more difficult. Olimpia have done pretty well in the CCL over the years.
Especially this year as this will be our one chance to send the in-form top team from the CPL. In the future they will face the same problem as everyone else which is that it is last year's champion, who may have made major player changes, that gets to compete.
I'm not sure who you mean by "everyone else". Most of the teams in the CONCACAF League just qualified in May or June. They might be making changes before July/August but they aren't, for the most part, last year's champions.
You are, of course, correct. I was actually thinking of the CCL where, for example, all the MLS teams are last year's winners.
And that is also changing. The MLS teams in the 2020 spring CCL will be determined in the fall of 2019. I believe that they will be the last 4 teams determined for the tournament. EDIT: I really messed that up. A lot of the 2020 CCL teams will be determined in the fall of 2019. August: U.S. Open Cup winner September: Canadian Championship winner October: CONCACAF League qualifiers October: MLS Supporter Shield and opposite conference winner November: MLS Cup winner The only teams determined before that will be the Mexican entrants who are already known since they qualified from the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 seasons and the Caribbean Club champion which was determined in May of 2019.
The last CCL Group Stage started on August 2, 2016. Having the previous MLS season qualify clubs was a lot of lag. Having the 2019 MLS season qualify clubs for the 2020 CCL that I'm assuming will start in February is much less lag, and the time from start to end of the CCL is the shortest of any confederation.
Here's our scouting report on Antigua GFC, as well as Forge's next possible opponent, Olimpia: https://t.co/hh9vFdcqAb #CanPL https://t.co/CEiejOizD7— Armen Bedakian (@ArmenBedakian) July 4, 2019
Here's everything – and we mean *everything* – you need to know about @ForgeFCHamilton's CONCACAF League opponent, Antigua GFC of Guatemala– Formations– Star players– Starting LineupsRead MORE 📝: https://t.co/pJjUOj29ge#CanPL | #ConcacafLeague pic.twitter.com/6p7vV1kFw1— Armen Bedakian (@ArmenBedakian) July 29, 2019
Another milestone by the Canadian Premier League (CAN) Forge FC just defeated (GUA)Antigua GFC 2-1 in CONCACAF League in Hamilton, Ontario Antigua seemed one step ahead of Forge in the 1st half with the goal by Pacheco Todos los angulos del GOLAZO de Édgar Pacheco para @soyantiguagfc. El conjunto Guatemalteco supera a Forge FC 1-0 al descanso.#SCL2019 pic.twitter.com/o0u5rxoe3D— Concacaf (@Concacaf) August 1, 2019 Forge FC responded immediately at the beginning of the 2nd half with a goal from Daniel Krutzen Historic goal for @ForgeFCHamilton! They are the first @CPLSoccer side to score a goal in a Concacaf competition! 1-1 against @soyantiguagfc! #SCL2019 #LoveForOurGame pic.twitter.com/AwF2Sbb2Bh— Concacaf (@Concacaf) August 1, 2019 Then during stoppage time, David Choiniere scores coming off the bench Goal @ForgeFCHamilton!!! David Choiniere scores the potential winning goal in the dying efforts! 2-1 for Forge FC! #SCL2019 pic.twitter.com/Ia76sgiK6m— Concacaf (@Concacaf) August 1, 2019 Forge played a much better game in the second half while having the majority of the possession throughout the game. The return leg is next week in Guatemala. Winner will face (HON) Olimpia in the Quarterfinals.
Massive for Choiniere, he's barely played this season, going to be harder for Bobby to keep him on the bench now.
YES!!!!!! Historic result for @ForgeFCHamilton! 🇨🇦 They are the first @CPLSoccer side to make it to the Round of 16 of a #Concacaf competition! #SCL2019 pic.twitter.com/cEbDbJCEb1— Concacaf (@Concacaf) August 9, 2019
I always felt that #CanPL would become the third best league in CONCACAF within 5 years. I’ve seen no evidence to suggest otherwise so far.— Duane Rollins (@24thminute) August 9, 2019
An excellent result for Hamilton. I hope they continue to be successful as the level of competition increases in round two.
The highlights show chances for both clubs, so without seeing statistics I would guess that neither club dominated. Forge almost won in stoppage time with a shot off the post and the rebound stopped by a defender on the goal line. Antigua had a shot go a little wide.
Forge FC's Concacaf League 2nd leg match next week will be played behind closed doors in San Pedro Sula (not at Olimpia's home in Tegucigalpa) in aftermath of riots this past weekend prior to a Honduran league game between Olimpia & Motagua. @CPLsoccerhttps://t.co/PBiMwS1LrN— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) August 21, 2019
Forge FC wins against C.D Olimpia 1-0... Where are all the people claiming CPL would be worse than USL2? Watch the best moments of @ForgeFCHamilton’s 1-0 victory over @CDOlimpia in #SCL2019 action! pic.twitter.com/RauWDcJxIR— Concacaf (@Concacaf) August 23, 2019
Forge showed good defense. I'm not expecting them to score much in Honduras, but they could advance with a draw. A 0-0 or 1-1 second leg is possible, and if they score first to get an away goal, Olimpia needs to score 3 to advance since Forge would advance with a 2-1 loss (or 3-2 and so on). The Round of 16 series that faces Forge or Olimpia also started with the home club winning by 1 in Comunicaciones 2-1 Guastatoya. I think the winner of Santa Tecla vs. San Carlos has a good chance at being one of the worst two Quarterfinalists who don't qualify for the Champions League. If Forge reaches the Semifinals, they will probably face the most recent non-Mexican champion in Saprissa (who won the 2005 Champions Cup) or the only club from outside Mexico and USA to reach the 2019 Champions League Quarterfinals in Independiente. The Quarterfinal first legs are four weeks after the Round of 16 second legs, so we will have to wait to find out.