http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/cc0130draw.html Round-of-16 matches in the 2003 Champions Cup are tentatively set for 12 and 26 March, and must be completed by 27 March. The quarterfinal matches are scheduled for 9 and 16 April, to be concluded by 17 April, with the semifinals set for 30 April and 14 May, completed by 15 June. The finals, like all previous rounds to be played over two legs, will be held in August/September.
Revs at KC? Looks like we won't be going to Kansas City on the 14th of May. This is when we will be booking our trip to the finals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. ;-) Now that would be a sweet piece of hardware have!
Fitness Isuue I hope we won't be at a disadvantage because the matches come really early in the season for us. Conditioning is so important and the Revs will have had very few opportunities to gain match fitness by 12 March. How will these dates playout for the other leagues in the compitition? It's off season in Mexico isn't it? George
Re: Fitness Isuue No.. It's not off season for them at the start. They just started up again in Mexico with the Closing Tournament for 2003..
I am actually glad someone posted this...I was about to ask if anyone saw what the draw was going to be, since the CONCACAF/TFC website is worthless, and famously so. Ted.
Credit where credit is due... Okay...I went to the Concacaf/TFC website, and yes...they actually have the same article on there. In the past, it was easier to find scores for two year old games than current competitions. Ted.
Anyone know anything about these clubs? CENTRAL ZONE QUALIFIERS LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica) CD F.A.S. (El Salvador) CSD Comunicaciones (Guatemala) CSD Municipal (Guatemala) CD Motagua (Honduras) Deportivo Arabe Unido (Panama) CARIBBEAN ZONE QUALIFIERS W Connection FC (Trinidad & Tobago) Arnett Gardens FC (Jamaica) Any preferences as to who the Rev would want to/not want to match up against? Are there any ex Rev or ex MLS players on these teams? The Caribbean clubs might be easier for us to get to. I guess we will know the draw tomorrow (Monday).
When do you think we can expect to see the results of the draw? Will CONCACAF have its act together enough to post the results today?
These are THE 2 main clubs in Guatemala. Municipal is referred to as "Rojas" (reds) and Comunicaciones is "Cremas" (cream-colored). Between them, they contribute most of the national team players. They both are based in Guatemala City; Comunicaciones in Estadio Mateo Flores, which I believe is where the US played in the WC02 qualifiers.
Results are up on the Concacaf site. Revs draw LD Alajuelense in the first round. Would then face winner of the America/CD FAS in the second round.
Thanks RalRhino schedule's here: http://www.concacaf.com/news/article.page/1196 2003 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP DRAW ROUND-OF-16 (12 and 26 March; must be completed by 27 March) home team (first leg) listed first SERIES 1: CD Toluca FC (MEX) v W Connection FC (TRI) SERIES 2: CSD Municipal (GUA) v San Jose Earthquakes (USA) SERIES 3: Club América (MEX) v CD F.A.S. (SLV) SERIES 4: LD Alajuelense (CRC) v New England Revolution (USA) SERIES 5: CSD Comunicaciones (GUA) v CA Monarcas Morelia (MEX) SERIES 6: Deportivo Árabe Unido (PAN) v Columbus Crew (USA) SERIES 7: Arnett Gardens FC (JAM) v CID Necaxa (MEX) SERIES 8: CD Motagua (HON) v Los Angeles Galaxy (USA)
The first leg is in Costa Rica, and the second leg would be somewhere in New England. It shouldn't be too bad to play on the 26 of March at night, but I'm sure our Tico friends might find it a little chilly for their liking. This is going to be a really interesting test. Historically we have always been slow to get out of the gate, and this year we can ill-afford to be anything but 100%. Fortunately, the team is pretty much intact, with only a few places up for grabs, so that should minimize the "jell" (Drink!) factor. Training in Brazil should help, and I would imagine that they'd go straight to CR from there. If we should make it past these guys and go on to the next round (against FAS or Club América), we will have played 5 important games before the first game at Chapter 11 vs Columbus on April 19, and only one will be an MLS game. Tom
Alajuelense is probably the toughest team the Revs could have drawn. They've only lost once in 26 league matches this year and in December they won the UNCAF championship beating Comunicaciones, Motagua, and Arabe Unido by a combined 13-0. They have lots of players who should be familiar from the national team...Wilmer Lopez, Rolando Fonseca, Steven Bryce, Carlos Castro, Luis Marin. Their leading scorer is Erick Scott, who was on Costa Rica's last U-20 WC team and an alternate for Korea/Japan.
Heres the official web site for Alajuelense (in Spanish): www.ldacr.org/home.htm Couldn't help but noticing their colors/logo resemble the Mutts.
Damn, that's what I was worried about. The Ticos are pretty good players, and if we couldn't get a Caribbean team, I figured any of the other Central Americans would be preferable to this team. I guess we'll know soon enough how good our guys really are. Tom
I remember Alajuelense being a very good team in previous Champions Cup Competitions, but those numbers JG listed are scary. I don't know much about Motagua and Arabe Unido, but I know that Communicacionnes are no push over. I have a feeling the first leg in CR is going to be very tough. Those Tico fans are intense.
They also made it to the Semi's last time around. They beat Club America 3-0 (agg.) in the first round and took down CSD Comunicaciones 6-2(agg.) before going down to Pachuca 2-3(agg.). They are going to be very tough. And if we do beat them we're likely up against Club America next.
*whew* Tough draw, but a good one from a competative standpoint. LD Alajuelense is a solid club, in fact, a couple of years ago the Revs were rumored to be looking at any number of players from this club, including Steven Bryce and Wilmer Lopez. They also have ex-MLS'er Roy Meyers in their side.
The Morera Grove: the cathedral of soccer this will be a difficult place for the revs to play. looks like it holds nearly 18k and its used for c.r. nat team games as well.....plus, they'll all be wearin' that damn black & red vert stripe stuff (as had been said earlier). arrggggh.