By TRAVIS CLARK
The four MLS clubs who qualified to take part in this year's edition of the CONCACAF Champions League learned their fate this afternoon, as the draw for the 2010-2011 competition took place in New York City.
Defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake was drawn in Group A alongside Arabe Unido and could be joined by Toronto FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps. Over in Group B, the Columbus Crew drew Guatemalan club Municipal, and the winner of a play-in match between San Juan Jabloteh and the Mexican Clausura runner-up.
The Los Angeles Galaxy drew a tricky opponent in the first round — Puerto Rico Islanders of the USSF second division. If the Galaxy can win after two legs, they would join Group D. Seattle Sounders, also part of the preliminary round, was supposed to play a club from El Salvador — but due to FIFA's recent suspension of that country's FA, their future in the competition is uncertain.
Complete draw results are after the jump:
Preliminary Round (First leg starts July 27-29)
(Host of first leg listed first)
Central America 11 vs. Xelaju (GUA)
Brujas (CRC) vs. Joe Public (TRI)
San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) vs. Santos-Toluca (Mexican Clausura runner-up)
San Francisco (PAN) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX)
Los Angeles Galaxy (USA) vs. Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR)
Tauro FC (PAN) vs. Marathon (HON)
Seattle Sounders (USA) vs. Central America 12
Toronto-Vancouver (Canadian champion) vs. Motagua (HON)
Group Stage(First matches start August 17-19)
Group A
Real Salt Lake (USA)
Arabe Unido (PAN)
San Francisco/Cruz Azul winner
Toronto-Vancouver/Motagua winner
Group B
Columbus Crew (USA)
Municipal (GUA)
San Juan Jabloteh/Santos-Toluca (Mexican Clausura runner-up) winner
Brujas/Joe Public winner
Group C
Monterrey (MEX)
Saprissa (CRC)
Seattle/Central America 12 winner
Tauro/Marathon winner
Group D
Santos/Toluca (Mexican Clausura champion)
Olimpia (HON)
Los Angeles Galaxy/Puerto Rico Islanders winner
Central America 11/Xelaju winner
What are you thoughts on the draw? Can MLS teams find success this time around?
Share your thoughts below.
Sure – the 14-16 hour trip from Seattle to Rio won’t have any impact on either the team’s play in the tournament or in the league.
[/sarcasm off]
It would be nice to see an MLS club make it to the finals this season. Tired of the Mexican clubs dominating.
LA’s group looks pretty difficult, though. 2nd strongest group IMO after Group C. And that’s assuming they get past the always tricky Islanders — by no means certain.
Looks like this could be a much better year for MLS in this tourney, though, after last year’s embarrassment. Sending 2 uncompetitive teams is always going to hurt your chances. There might even be a chance that 2 MLS teams advance from Group A.
So you’re saying one of the hottest teams in MLS history would lose a two game series to a USL team? How much do you want to wager?
Let me guess you’re a DC fan…
whoops, replied to the wrong person
So you’re saying one of the hottest teams in MLS history would lose a two game series to a USL team? How much do you want to wager?
Let me guess you’re a DC fan…
If only there were 100,000,000 fans like Fuegofan…..
I think both of those were before CONCACAF made it home and away
Group D = Group of Death.
And DC won it in ’98.
better yet, how about we just rule out more counties and teams as having inadequate facilities. Some have lost spots in prior years. If concacaf were honest about the condition of facilities, then the tournament should essentially be Mex vs MLS/USL since thats who have the adequate facilities. Here’s a better thought, how about inviting two non-concacaf teams like libertadores does in inviting the mexicans. Japan has some good facilities and I’m sure we can find one team in Colombia. Given the relationship with Colombia (valderrama, angel, montero), I’m sure one invite to a club of theirs is a natural fit (even if we have a pay a little bit). J-league seeks respect, they’ll take that one invite and bring some viewers along the way.
Concacaf does want to send some team to the “”club World Cup”, and hoped that the change in format would generate more interest.
Still, comparing the soccer press in Concacaf analyzing the Champions League and Europa league before and after every game to barely or not mentioning this region’s club championship does give one pause.
Given the economic realities of the region, including for soccer in the US, how can that be done?
My suggestion is to play one or more parts of the competition in a central location and a dead period for the leagues, somewhat like Interliga or Superliga, so that fields and travel are less of a problem.
Big problem with that is probably only US, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica have the infrastucture to do it.
Galaxy won it in 2000.
I like the CONCACAF Champions League
The game will be streamed online on TFC’s website.
He’s at Montagua
Go MLS!! One year MLS teams will get the breaks and one day win this tourney. Then you all will be saying they take it seriously all of a sudden … These guys always take it seriously, but the competition format doesn’t always favor MLS. Some of the games in the past have been in Feb/Mar when MLS is out of season. So you put these guys in hostile inviornments where American teams are not liked at all, and the other teams are in league form. Mix that with getting some of the young guys exp and match them up with lineups that don’t always play together makes it tough on the guys.
MLS is getting better and stronger in this league. I watched Columbus come back down 2 goals against Toluca earlier this year to draw … that would never have happened 5 years ago. Having said that, we still have a long ways to go. Go MLS!
Seattle needs to take the league seriously before they take this!
As sweet as seeing you teams in there competitively… Oh wait…
I’m being totally serious here, they might not even make it past Puerto Rico.
hahaha, hilarious..idiot
the way it is
Which real one?? AFC? OFC? CAF? of the Champions Hockey league?
New DP rules seem to mean thinner rosters.
Do USL teams usually take these games more seriously than MLS teams? I can’t remember when a MLS actually beat a team from the USL away from home at least.
yeah, LETS DO THAT! no one cares about concacaf anything…the REAL champions league should be the only champions league. ugh its a shame it shares it name with such bottom of the map leagues..
the way it is
I believe MLS teams go down there scared. even with he talent disparity sometimes they just go down to easy.
Agree. Unless MLS teams take it seriously, why go down there just to give them something to laugh about.
Have you watched any of the games of MLS teams in Mexico? Wouldn’t you say that it has more to do with the disparity of talent on our benches?
Sadly, the teams we send down there just aren’t as good, and that’s why we lose.
LA’s year? Only if they win 10-0 in the home leg. MLS teams in Mexico do terrible, which suggests conspiracy, but MLS is too insignificant to warrant bribed officiating to control results south of the border.
wrong choice, improve all the above is the answer
OK, lets just cancel the whole thing, fold the tents, and secure the kitchen. Only watch that other Champions League tournament… I don’t think so.
This tournament suffers from depleted rosters, poor fields, and terrible officiating.
We can’t even handle these teams, so why should we fly halfway around the World to get our asses kicked by South American teams?
snoozer. Cant garber bribe some conmebol officials for at least two invites to the copa sudamericana, if libertadores is considered too holy….at least second fiddle would be better then the least respected regional club tournament. Ok, so maybe the Seattle/Monterrey/Saprissa group looks a bit exciting when you add Nfuko or whatever his name is. Isnt Amado guevara w/Marathon?
Puerto Rico!!!! Puerto Rico!!!!
Saprissa and the Rayados will take it seriously too, which means that Seattle has a tough path, regardless of how serious they take things.
Here is the link about Gomez. I also heard it mentioned on “Contacto Deportivo”.
http://www.camoteros.com/news/2010/mayo/12.html
Google translated:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.camoteros.com/news/2010/mayo/12.html&ei=8Gf0S4COJZDqsQOTvsWIBQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBcQ7gEwAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.camoteros.com/news/2010/mayo/12.html%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D7Us%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:unofficial
puebla.. excuse me.
he plays for Pueblo not Cruz Azul..
Even after Everton buys Donovan this fall?
Is there going to be a running commentry on Canadian Championship game this evening?
When did he sign with Cruz Azul? Last I heard was that the was in negotiations with Puebla to extend/renew his contract
Marathon is going to stomp the competition in this one.
So now Herculez Gomez will be playing on the CONCACAF Champion’s League as well (with Cruz Azul). Quite the year He’s having.
This is LA’s year. Our club has been in top form this season, I see us beating PR and getting into the group stages. It won’t be easy, the Islanders have proved to be a tough opponent in Champions League the last couple of seasons.
Remember that game in Satiago againts La Catolica and DC was up 2-0 then fell apart like sissies to exit from the copa sudamericana? That was sweet! I can’t help but just a wee-bit MLS-tionalistic and root for LA too. Especially when Ronaldihno comes this summer. 😉
My gut feeling is that Toronto and Seattle will definitely take the competition seriously. LAG and RSL might.
Ives, I believe that Seattle Managment has made a commitment to its fans to take every competition seriously. Have you heard any chatter from the other teams if they will commit to winning?
Crew and RSL have the easiest groups. Followed by LA. Seattle is in for a rough ride with both Saprissa and Monterrey in their group.
LA has it this year. I’m happy to be done having to semi root for DC in this competition. I’m sick of seeing them lose it.