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Seattle, Los Angeles set to kick off CONCACAF Champions League quest

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After Real Salt Lake's success in the CONCACAF Champions League last season, a greater sense of optimism and encouragement surrounds Major League Soccer's participation in the prestigious competition than ever before.

Five MLS teams (Seattle, Los Angeles, Colorado, FC Dallas, Toronto FC) made the group stage for the first time since the tournament went to its new format, and two of those teams kick off their quests for regional glory Tuesday night, as the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy open up group play.

Seattle was forced to qualify through the preliminary rounds, but topped Panama's San Francisco with a come-from-behind effort to make it into Group D. The Sounders' first test is Guatemalan side Comunicaciones, which has won the last two domestic championships en route to CCL qualification. Seattle hosts the match at CenturyLink Field (10 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel).

The Galaxy, meanwhile, welcome back former player Guillermo Ramirez to the Home Depot Center for their Group A opener against Honduran club Motagua (10 p.m start/12 p.m. tape delay, Fox Soccer Channel).

After a horrific showing in the CCL last season, the Galaxy, who will not have new signing Robbie Keane in uniform for the match, are out to prove that they are worthy of carrying the torch for MLS. Landon Donovan and Bruce Arena spoke about the club's preparations in the build up to Tuesday's match:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Au67CjbvpQ]

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How do you see the Sounders and Galaxy faring tonight?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. No terraces allowed under CONCACAF rules. Well or at least no area without reserved seats, or whatever the specific rule may be. I guess it may be a general safety/security measure, if you think about some of the scenes sometimes witnessed at more “enthusiastic” matches in Latin America.

    But anyway, when it comes to DSGP, at least, what it means is that nobody will be in the terrace section on the north end, behind one of the goals, which happens to be where the most vocal and organized Rapids supporters are at regular games.

    Yeah, all the Mexican teams will win their groups. Also the Rapids will never win MLS Cup. Or if by some chance they do, it will be confirmed as a fluke when they do poorly the following year. Yada yada yada…

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  2. What is the point of this post ?

    I thought the article was on the teams playing CCL. You focus on a player you think has “weaknesses” that “everyone knows” ? You realize the TEAM is in first place ?

    GO SOUNDERS, I am old and cannot survive another CCL like last year’s giving away games. This game is MUST win.

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  3. No such thing, my friend. More like trying to fit a square peg (Aron Winter’s style) into a round hole (MLS). That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if TFC succeeds in this tournament. MLS and CCL are different beasts.

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  4. RSL isn’t playing this year..ohh and Cruz Azul isn’t very good FYI…RSL dint have to face a single Mexican team in the knockout rounds, I hope CONCACAF doesn’t do the same thing as last year and makes the Mexican team eliminate each other, but when they faced a struggling injury plagued 8th place Monterrey in the final they lost..

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  5. wouldnt it be funny as hell if TFC ended up winning the whole thing. The reason it would be funny is not that their current incarnation sucks, it actually a good squad, but that they are totally cursed with bad luck…unequivocally cursed.

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  6. Galaxy better not underestimate any of these teams as they have done in the past. They are not going to win just because of their name. lol.

    They had their culos kicked by PR Islanders (4-0 !!!) at home last year, even with Landon playing. Landycakes also choked few years ago when they got beat by one of the Costa Rican teams in the CCL.

    Those who have been following him for sometime, know his weaknesses so don’t be surprised if he is unable to raise his game in the CCL. When everyone is as good as him tactically, he cannot do anything since he has no individual skill other than pushing the ball past players and beating them with this pace.

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  7. Got my tickets yesterday for the Rapids match against Santos at DSGP. It will be interesting to see the atmosphere, between the fact that it’s a CCL match as opposed to league play, and will take place only a couple of days prior to Mexican Independence Day, and to top it all off, that the most vocal Rapids supporters will be shifted into the regular seating areas, given CONCACAF’s prohibition on terraces.

    Also will be interesting to see in general how much more attention the whole tournament gets this year as opposed to last, and not just on soccer blogs or forums…

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  8. Seattle needs to beat Comunicaciones and the Costa Rican team and try to death to tie Monterrey in Mexico.

    Then try to grab at least 1 win and maybe a draw in Guatemala and Costa Rica. That way the home game vs Monterrey game will be with little pressure.

    Seattle has a rough group, but they might be able to progress. LA and Dallas have what it takes, FC Dallas gets Fabian Castillo back from the U-20 WC.

    Colorado I am not sure of? Real EspaƱa and Metapan are very beatable, Santos has a lot of talent so maybe they can’t beat them?

    Toronto is a CRAZY, they are really starting to come into their own now. Defense is still suspect but even if they end up with a bad position in the standings, draft should help them fix that, always some good Center backs and full backs ready to start in MLS in draft.

    I do hope that Frings, Kovermans and De Guzman show up for Toronto, if Ryan Johnson and Plata can keep playing they way they have, Toronto could surprise, but it would be Dallas OR TFC. Doubt Pumas ends in 3rd, a lot of talent and TONS of youth system players that are good enough for CCL

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