Hi everyone, Concacaf has announced that a draw for this year's Concacaf League will take place next Monday. El Sorteo de la Liga Concacaf Scotiabank 2020 se llevará a cabo el 21 de septiembre Más Detalles >> https://t.co/FYWe2X9vO8#SCL2020 pic.twitter.com/zTtLc28h0z— Concacaf (@Concacaf) September 14, 2020 The format remains a 22-team field with 10 teams already seeded into the Round of 16, and the remaining 12 going through prelims to fill out the bracket. What is different this time around is that the prelims and R16 will take place as one-offs hosted by the higher seed, leading into home-and-away series from the QFs on. It's also worth noting that club coefficients have changed (we'll see if the same multipliers are used in the next CCL): teams now only receive 2 participation points, 0.5 points per stage advanced and 1 point for winning the tournament. The pots: Pot 1 (higher seeds in prelims) Arcahaie FC (HAI) LD Alajuelense (CRC) Motagua (HON) CA Independiente (PAN) FAS (SLV) Municipal Limeño (SLV) Pot 2 (lower seeds in prelims) Verdes FC (BLZ) Forge (CAN) Cibao FC (DOM) Comunicaciones (GUA) Antigua GFC (GUA) Managua FC (NCA) Pot 3 (higher seeds in R16) Waterhouse FC (JAM) Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) Herediano (CRC) Olimpia (HON) Marathón (HON) Tauro (PAN) San Francisco (PAN) Alianza (SLV) Pot 4 (lower seeds in R16) Municipal (GUA) Real Estelí (NCA) 6 prelim winners
¡Vuelve el fútbol! Mira el sorteo de La Liga Concacaf Scotiabank este lunes 7pm ET! pic.twitter.com/luyuQorDoL— Concacaf (@Concacaf) September 17, 2020
And here's the draw! Prelims (one leg, home team first) FAS (SLV) vs. Managua FC (NCA) LD Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Cibao FC (DOM) Municipal Limeño (SLV) vs. Forge (CAN) CA Independiente (PAN) vs. Antigua GFC (GUA) Arcahaie FC (HAI) vs. Verdes FC (BLZ) Motagua (HON) vs. Comunicaciones (GUA) Round of 16 (one leg, home team first) 1. Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) vs. Municipal (GUA) 2. Marathón (HON) vs. Independiente/Antigua 3. Tauro (PAN) vs. Municipal Limeño/Forge 4. Waterhouse FC (JAM) vs. Arcahaie/Verdes 5. Alianza (SLV) vs. Motagua/Comunicaciones 6. Olimpia (HON) vs. FAS/Managua 7. San Francisco (PAN) vs. Alajuelense/Cibao 8. Herediano (CRC) vs. Real Estelí (NCA)
Concacaf has published the schedule for the first two rounds (times US Eastern): Prelims Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Arcahaie FC (HAI) vs Verdes (BLZ) - 8:00 p.m. FAS (SLV) vs Managua FC (NCA) - 10:00 pm. Wednesday, October 21, 2020 CA Independiente (PAN) vs Antigua GFC (GUA) - 8:00 p.m. LD Alajuelense (CRC) vs Cibao FC (DOM) - 10:00 p.m. Thursday, October 22, 2020 Municipal Limeño (SLV) vs Forge (CAN) - 8:00 p.m. Motagua (HON) vs Comunicaciones (GUA) - 10:00 p.m. Round of 16 Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Tauro (PAN) vs Municipal Limeño/Forge - 6:00 p.m. San Francisco (PAN) vs Alajuelense/Cibao - 8:15 p.m. Marathón (HON) vs Independiente/Antigua - 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2020 Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) vs Municipal (GUA) - 8:00 p.m. Alianza (SLV) vs Motagua/Comunicaciones - 10:00 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2020 Waterhouse FC (JAM) vs Arcahaie/Verdes - 6:00 p.m. Herediano (CRC) vs Real Estelí (NCA) - 8:15 p.m. Olimpia (HON) vs FAS/Managua - 10:30 p.m. As well, the tournament regulations are out...and other than an annex related to COVID-19 concerns and the official confirmation that the prelims and the R16 will be one-game affairs, the rest of the format remains the same (notably, the R16 being taken into consideration all the same for who hosts the second leg in the semis and Final). I'm intrigued by this particular clause: Concacaf, your apology is accepted.
CONCACAF | El Arcahaie F.C podría ya estar recibiendo el OK de CONCACAF para recibir al Verdes FC de 🇧🇿 en el Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez para el torneo CONCACAF LEAGUE.El Secretario General de la FDF @arturoheinsen ofreció ayuda para que jueguen en Santo Domingo.#CONCACAF pic.twitter.com/xAWPrAMUyk— Futbol Total RD🇩🇴 (@FutbolTotalRD) October 7, 2020 Arcahaie were unable to play in Haiti's national stadium (the Sylvio Cator) because the international certificate for its artificial pitch is expired...so the Dominicans lent them a helping hand with an alternate venue in Santo Domingo, and Concacaf as well by giving Arcahaie the travel grant normally only issued to the away team. Thanks are in order, b/c otherwise the most realistic option would've been to let Verdes host the game instead.
So far, my Xfinity guide says only the last game (Motagua/Comunicaciones) will be shown live on TUDN.
...but I forgot about FOX Sports' CCL TV deal! For the prelims next week, every game except Alajuelense/Cibao will be shown live on FOX Sports 2.
Hard to find information on Arcahaie since they don't have a Twitter account, but it looks like they're on site for tomorrow's game: Buena Suerte a Arcahaie FC 👐 @FutbolTotalRD @SportsDominican @fhfhaiti pic.twitter.com/qu0atJponw— Douby Jean✨ (@DoubyJean) October 19, 2020
Correction: every game will be shown on FOX Sports 2, without exception. Concacaf rescheduled Alajuelense/Cibao for Thursday at 6:00 p.m. (US Eastern)... ¡Solo 1 día para la ronda preliminar de #SCL20! ¿Quién avanzará a octavos de final? 👇 pic.twitter.com/TDnDccuDST— Concacaf (@Concacaf) October 19, 2020 ...on Liga's behalf, as they had to deal with a COVID-19 oubreak ¡Confirmado! Alajuelense jugará ante el Cibao el 22 de octubrehttps://t.co/PRWLWqUiFX pic.twitter.com/r15tOUbKuy— Columbia Deportiva 98.7 FM (@ColumbiaDeporte) October 12, 2020
So, we're off to a good start 🔴OFFICIEL : La CONCACAF vient d’annuler le match de l’Arcahaie FC contre Verdes FC, qui devrait se disputer ce mardi, en raison de la contamination de 8 membres de la délégation Bélizienne. Dès ce mercredi, l’AFC sera de retour en Haïti.#FOOTBALL #LIGUECONCACAF pic.twitter.com/MjP8nwV23U— FootKole (@FootKole) October 20, 2020 The resumption of international play in Concacaf will wait 2 more hours. The Concacaf League match between Archaie FC & Verdes FC is postponed after Verdes had 4 players & 4 staff test positive for COVID-19.1 positive each for FAS-Managua FC, but that game will go ahead.— Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) October 20, 2020
Motagua beat Comunicaiones when Comunicaiones' 18th penalty hit the crossbar. Each club succeeded on four of their first five, and the next twelve had ten where both clubs scored and two where neither club scored. The video of penalty kicks lasts 30:58.
Canadian Premier League Champions Forge FC has eliminated CD Municipal Limeno 2-1 and advance to the round of 16 against Tauro FC in Panama 📹 @ForgeFCHamilton advances to the Round of 16 of #SCL20 with a 2-1 dramatic win over @LimenoOficial today in San Salvador. Watch the highlights 👇 pic.twitter.com/nTDa7subMa— Concacaf (@Concacaf) October 23, 2020
Going down to 10 men...on the road...in Central America...and not skipping a beat is something a two-year-old team shouldn't be capable of doing. Chapeau!
Merci! I wasn't kidding when I was talking about the bright future of CPL and how underrated football in Canada really was. Most of the team were from League 1 Ontario which is Canada Division 3. In less than 2 season, they knock down CONCACAF teams in Central America. Cavalry eliminate an MLS Club from the domestic cup the year prior over 2 legs... All the league's detractors who claimed that it wouldn't be better than USL-1 or 2 and called me crazy to dare say that CPL was higher than USL Championship have unfortunately vanished into the wind. Most satisfying!
I don't recall anyone saying that a team from the fully-professional CPL wouldn't be competitive with teams from the semi-professional Central American leagues in Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador. But can they compete with fully-professional squads from Panama and Honduras? That said, I was in the stands in Hamilton to watch them play Olimpia last year ... and they did look good.
Arcahaie are moving on as well, as Verdes have withdrawn: Belize's Verdes FC is withdrawing from the Concacaf League.Its match v. Arcahaie FC was postponed because of COVID+ players/staff.Game could've been rescheduled but officials say they didn't want to risk fines etc. incurred if they showed up to play but players again tested +— Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) October 24, 2020
My Xfinity guide says that the following games will be shown live on FOX Sports 2: Round of 16 Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Tauro (PAN) vs Forge (CAN) - 6:00 p.m. San Francisco (PAN) vs Alajuelense/Cibao - 8:15 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2020 Waterhouse FC (JAM) vs Arcahaie FC (HAI) - 6:00 p.m. Herediano (CRC) vs Real Estelí (NCA) - 8:15 p.m. Olimpia (HON) vs Managua FC (NCA) - 10:30 p.m.
Actualización sobre partidos pospuestos y calendario confirmado para los octavos de finalhttps://t.co/Pc4NDGIg3N Update on postponed matches and confirmed schedule for Round of 16https://t.co/75N1sLetgF#SCL20 pic.twitter.com/RAUt484eCS— Concacaf (@Concacaf) October 27, 2020 The new schedule for next week: Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Tauro (PAN) vs Forge (CAN) - 8:00 p.m. Marathón (HON) vs Antigua GFC (GUA) - 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2020 LD Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Cibao FC (DOM) - 6:00 p.m. Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) vs Municipal (GUA) - 8:15 p.m. Alianza (SLV) vs Motagua (HON) - 10:30 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2020 Waterhouse FC (JAM) vs Arcahaie FC (HAI) - 6:00 p.m. Herediano (CRC) vs Real Estelí (NCA) - 8:15 p.m. Olimpia (HON) vs Managua FC (NCA) - 10:30 p.m.
And the updated Xfinity TV guide says that FOX Sports 2 will show both games on Tuesday and all three on Thursday.
**rings bell** Format change, we have a format change! Concacaf agrees to new format to complete 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Leaguehttps://t.co/NXcZEi23e4Concacaf acuerda nuevo formato para completar la Liga Concacaf Scotiabank 2020https://t.co/yjYAwOn4Lt#SCL20 pic.twitter.com/dBzPyg13ct— Concacaf (@Concacaf) October 29, 2020 1. All rounds of this Concacaf League will be one-game series from here on out. 2. Said games will be hosted by the higher seed...but not based on in-tournament results. Rather, the Concacaf Club Rankings (Index?) will determine the host. Fat chance of a direct answer, but I've asked if this is strictly based on the Rankings when the tournament started, or if the Index is getting updated in real time. 3. The 4 quarterfinal winners will qualify for the CCL all the same, while the quarterfinal losers will play one-game play-in matches based on the bracket (e.g. one of Saprissa/Municipal/Marathón/Antigua vs. one of Tauro/Forge/Waterhouse/Arcahaie). Considering that CAN2 has only one year of CL results to its name, it appears that Forge will play on the road the rest of the way through...
Perhaps for the best - I doubt any of the teams they'd play would consider doing the necessary 2-week quarantine before playing in Hamilton. They've already qualified for the 2021 Concacaf League (3rd year in a row), so perhaps chances to see home games in 2021 if the quarantine has been lifted by then.
Love it... CPL detractors being silenced. The CPL champions Forge FC defeat Tauro FC 2-1 in Panama City and advance to the CONCACAF League Quarter-Finals!!! Full Time in Panama.@ForgeFCHamilton 🇨🇦 advances to the #SCL20 Quarter Finals with a stoppage time penalty kick! pic.twitter.com/XR4ksI3gKi— Concacaf (@Concacaf) November 4, 2020
That field in the game that's going on now is a veritable mud bog.......how much more can it take before it's deemed unplayable?
Actualización sobre los partidos de hoy de la Liga Concacaf Scotiabank 2020: 4 de noviembre de 2020#SCL20 https://t.co/whOp4TGU2G— Concacaf (@Concacaf) November 4, 2020 A couple COVID-19-related modifications: - Saprissa vs. Municipal rescheduled for Thursday to see if enough of Municipal's previously-infected players get the all-clear (by testing negative twice) so that they can bring a full squad. - Herediano vs. Real Estelí postponed, as both teams are dealing with outbreaks.