May 31 – The expanded Concacaf League club tournament, the baby brother of Concacaf’s leading regional Champions League competition, has held the draw for its second edition in Guatemala.
The competition now includes the participation of the Central American domestic league winners as well as a Canadian representative in its 22 team starting line-up.
The gala event, which sorted the 22 participating clubs into six preliminary round matchups and eight round of 16 matchups, will continue to be played in a knockout format with home-and-away fixtures. The preliminary round winners, to be determined on aggregate goals, will join the top nine ranked Central American clubs and the runner-up of the Caribbean Club Championship in the Round of 16.
Five teams will now qualify for the Concacaf Champions League. In its inaugural season just the winners qualified. Costa Rica’s CS Herediano are the current champions.
The six preliminary round pairings are as follows:
Matchup #1: Panama 3 vs Alianza FC (SLV)
Matchup #2: AS Capoise (HAI) vs S.V. Robinhood (SUR)
Matchup #3: Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) vs Belmopan Bandits (BLZ)
Matchup #4: Antigua GFC (GUA) vs Canada 2
Matchup #5: CD Marathon (HON) vs Comunicaciones FC (GUA)
Matchup #6: Santa Tecla FC (SLV) vs Real Esteli FC (NCA)
The eights round of 16 parings are as follows:
Matchup #1: FC Motagua (HON) vs Managua FC (NCA)
Matchup #2: CS Herediano (CRC) vs Waterhouse FC (JAM)
Matchup #3: AD San Carlos (CRC) vs Winner Preliminary Round #6
Matchup #4: Panama 1 vs Winner Preliminary Round #1
Matchup #5: Panama 2 vs Winner Preliminary Round #2
Matchup #6: CD Aguila (SLV) vs Winner Preliminary Round #3
Matchup #7: CD Guastatoya (GUA) vs Winner Preliminary Round #5
Matchup #8: CD Olimpia (HON) vs Winner Preliminary Round #4
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