By Paul Nicholson
August 13 – The debut of a team from Belize in the CONCACAF Champions League will have to wait for at least another season after confederation inspectors ruled that their pitch was unplayable. Belize Premier League champions Belmopan Bandits will be replaced in the competition by Costa Rica’s Club Sport Herediano.
CONCACAF inspected the playing surface at the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) Stadium on August 10 for a second time, finding that the conditions did not meet the regulations for Champions League standards. Belmopan were scheduled to play their first game in the competition, at home, on Friday August 22 against El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan.
It is a sad story for the Belize national federation who had been hoping to make a return to international club competition in the region. The FFB Stadium had received $1.8 million from FIFA for an upgrade. This included improved lighting, seating for 5,000, separate shower stalls and changing rooms for participating teams and referees.
The pitch itself was to have Bermuda grass (that meets FIFA standards). CONCACAF officials inspected the stadium in June and although the pitch was not complete, the FFB Stadium was found to meet required standards. The failure to bring the pitch itself up to standard will be a huge disappointment in the Central American country which has no alternative venue that could be used.
The Belmopan Bandits were only founded in 1991 but have won the Belize Premier League three times and have six players in the Belize national squad. The club plays its home league games at the 2,500 capacity Isodoro Beaton Stadium but was switching to the FFB Stadium to meet competition requirements.
Belmopan Bandits disappointment will be Club Sport Herediano’s joy, who take their place by virtue of being the next best team from the Central American region’s top-performing country in the previous edition of the Champions League.
CD Alajuelense and fellow Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa had already qualified. Club Sport Herediano earns the third Costa Rican slot as the top cumulative point winner during the Costa Rican Winter 2013 and Summer 2014 Tournaments.
This will be Herediano’s fourth consecutive CONCACAF Champions League competition.
Replacing Belmopan Bandits in Group 7, Herediano face Liga MX champion Leon and Isidro Metapan. The winners of the eight three-team groups go through to the quarter finals to be played in early 2015.
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