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CONCACAF releases Champions League quarterfinals schedule

CONCACAFChampionsLeagueLogo1 (CONCACAF)

By CAITLIN MURRAY

The path to the the CONCACAF Champion’s League knockout stage is now a little bit clearer.

The quarterfinal schedule of the current Champions League competition is now set, with the Major League Soccer contingent getting started off against a trio of strong Liga MX sides March 11 and 12.

The San Jose Earthquakes will be first up for the Americans at home against Toluca. The next day, Los Angeles Galaxy will host Club Tijuana and Sporting Kansas City will host Cruz Azul.

The three MLS clubs will then go away for a second leg on March 18 and 19. Meanwhile, a series between Costa Rica’s  Alajuelense and Panama’s Árabe Unido will open and end the quarterfinal round.

Here is the full quarterfinals schedule (all times EST):

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

FIRST LEG

March 10: 10 pm – Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Árabe Unido (PAN) at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto

March 11: 10 pm – San Jose Earthquakes (USA) vs. Toluca (MEX) at Buck Shaw Stadium

March 12: 8 pm – Sporting Kansas City (USA) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX) at Sporting Park

March 12: 10 pm – LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Club Tijuana (MEX) at StubHub Center

SECOND LEG

March 18: 10 pm – Club Tijuana (MEX) vs. LA Galaxy (USA) at Estadio Caliente

March 19: 8 pm – Toluca (MEX) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (USA) at Estadio Nemesio Díez

March 19: 10 pm – Cruz Azul (MEX) vs. Sporting Kansas City (USA) at Estadio Azul

March 20: 10 pm – Árabe Unido (PAN) vs. Alajuelense (CRC) at Estadio Agustín “Muquita” Sánchez

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What do you think of the schedule? Which MLS teams do you see reaching the semifinals? Which match will be the closest?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Galaxy are built to create turnovers in the midfield and transition fast. They will be able to win the ball against Tijuana. Landon & Keane can get in behind their line. And, Omar will dominate on set pieces. Come On L.A.

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  2. I think there are too many people making excuses here. When this cup was the Champions Cup we had winners in DC United and the LA Galaxy. Granted it was a different format and less teams, but do those extra games make a difference when you are at the quarterfinal stage. Still mad about the Galaxy not being able to play in the FIFA Club World Cup due to the collapse of ISL. Just another example of how dirty FIFA is.

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  3. MLS sides at a huge disadvantage because MLS has a salary cap and LigaMX doesn’t.

    MLS is the only soccer league on the planet that purposely weakens itself all in the name of fairness.

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    • I think the much bigger disadvantage is the schedule. MLS teams come basically directly from off-season – for some teams as much as four months without a meaningful game – and then walk on the field against Mexican sides that are at least as talented.
      I don’t know that it will ever happen, but if Garber’s comments about a calendar change ever come to fruition it will help MLS teams in this competition immeasurably.

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      • funny thing is all the geniuses who will use the excuse of being in preseason form when a euro team comes here and loses but then judges MLS teams harshly from this tourney when it’s set up for the Mexican teams to prosper

        whatever. this is the schedule, this is the way it is, have to overcome it until something changes, if ever, with MLS

  4. Truthfully, I see both SKC and LA being contenders to get through. They haven’t (yet) been pillaged in the January market and will have ample core players who will have been playing at a high level. Heck, almost the entire SKC backline is in US camp. I agree that the offseason hurts us but if there is a team with a shot, its those two.

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    • This shouldn’t be understated. None of the MLS teams are favorites, but SKC has 5 players who will be training with the Nats for all of January and part of February. Donovan and Gonzalez will also be there, as will Wondo.

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    • The scheduling is based on an eight-seed process … the top four seeds host second legs, the bottom four seeds host first legs. It’s all based on pool play results. So the 3 MLS teams are all hosting first legs because they didn’t finish among the top 4.

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    • Fox still owns the rights to CONCACAF Champions League. LA-TJ will almost certainly be on Fox Sports 1. If not, then Fox Sports 2 for sure.

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      • I seriously doubt any of these end up on Fox Sports 1. Fox Sports 2 definitely…but no one has that channel.

      • FS1 carried group stage matches, so no reason why they’d skip a relatively high-profile knockout match between LA & TJ.

      • So if this is true then it’s just a publicity stunt to attract viewers from the US?

        They have a strong team and I don’t see them rating all three players to make it, especially considering the talent on their team. Plus Tena doesn’t seem like the kinda guy who’d want these guys, but do you happen to have a link to comments he may have made?

    • I agree that LA certainly has the talent to do so, BUT w/ a huge caveat…
      Biggest problem is scheduling. MLS coming into the quarters out of offseason/out of sync w/ unanswered questions and Liga MX teams that would be tough enough already/ w/ unquestionably more depth being in midseason form is a huge disadvantage. Until some of these things are changed, it will be pretty tough for MLS to take a title.

      Reply

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