CONCACAF Champions' League 2008-09

[Nerroth]

Hi.


CONCACAF, the regional confederation covering North and Central America and the Caribbean, are setting up a new format for their premier continental club competition - and will become the CONCACAF Champions' League:




The CCL will supersede the previous iteration of the competition, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, and will feature 24 teams in preliminary, group and playoff stages to determine who earns the right to be known as CONCACAF's top club - and who will represent the confederation at the FIFA Club World Cup (and thus follow in the footsteps of C.F. Pachuca, who won the 2008 CCC and will go to the CWC this winter).


Recently, the draw for the preliminary and group stages for the 2008-09 CCL was made:

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ Preliminary Round
Home Team Listed First – All Kickoff Times Eastern Standard
(Schedule Subject to Change)
First-legs
26.08
CFU2: Joe Public FC (TRI) – USA3: New England Revolution (20:00)
PAN2: Tauro FC – USA4: Chivas USA (20:00)
MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul – BLZ1: Hankook Verdes (22:00)

27.08
CAN1: Canadian Champion – NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion (TBD)
CRC2: LD Alajuelense – CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) (22:00)
SLV2: AD Isidro Metapan – HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon (22:00)

28.08
CFU1: Harbour View FC (JAM) – MEX3: Pumas UNAM (20:00)
GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa – PAN1: San Francisco FC (22:00)

Second-legs
02.09
USA3: New England Revolution – CFU2: Joe Public FC (TRI) (20:00)
USA4: Chivas USA – PAN2: Tauro FC (22:00)
NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion – CAN1: Canadian Champion (20:00)

03.09
CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) – CRC2: LD Alajuelense (20:00)
BLZ1: Hankook Verdes – MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul (22:00)
HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon – SLV2: CD Isidro Metapan (22:00)

04.09
PAN1: San Francisco FC – GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa (20:00)
MEX3: Pumas UNAM – CFU1: Harbour View FC (JAM) (22:00)

So, the team which wins the 2008 Canadian Championship will have to play the Nicaraguan champions to earn a berth in the group stage:

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ Group Stage
(Schedule Subject to Change)
Group A
USA2: D.C. United
CRC1: Deportivo Saprissa
Series 4 Winner: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes
Series 8 Winner: Isidro Metapan or Olimpia/Marathon

Group B
USA1: Houston Dynamo
SLV1: CD Luis Angel Firpo
Series 1 Winner: Jalapa/Municipal or San Francisco FC
Series 5 Winner: Harbour View FC or Pumas UNAM

Group C
MEX1: Atlante FC
HON1: CD Olímpia or CD Marathon
Series 2 Winner: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution
Series 7 Winner: CAN1 or NCA1

Group D
MEX2: Club Santos Laguna
GUA1: CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Series 3 Winner: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders
Series 6 Winner: Chivas USA or Tauro FC

Of the MLS clubs set (or potentially able) to play in the group stages, United got what amounts to the Group of Death - with Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa, three-times CCC winners and finalists in 2008, and (most likely) Mexico's CD Cruz Azul, five-time CCC winners and the only Mexican team to make it all the way to the final of South America's Copa Libertadores (and then only losing on penalties).


Ouch!


The CCL is gonna be a lot of fun - and am I the only one to think so, or might anyone else here be stoked about the CONCACAF Champions' League?