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.
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.
Fingers crossed!
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.
Yeah. That sucked. DC didn’t get the opportunity as well after beating the Copa Libertores champs in the InterAmerican Cup! Vasco Da Gama had just lost in the final of the CWC(Known as Intercontinental Cup in 1998) to Real Madrid 2-1 on a Raul goal in the 83rd minute.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Copa_Libertadores
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Copa_Interamericana
Look forward to the day that MLS gets a team into the CWC. (:
Man, what a lineup for DC.
Yeah. DC had a team of mini DPs before there was such a thing in MLS! I believe 8-10 of the 11 starters were national team players at one point for USMNT & Bolivia! And Bolivia had just been in the world cup in 1994. They were a very solid national team at that time.
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.
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.
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
+1
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.
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.
Is it just me or do the Mls sides always seem to be home the first leg in champs league?
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.
Thanks
By the way, you had a cannon for a right arm, and an awesome goatee
And what the hell did Steinbrenner trade you for?
Ives, this is Frank Costanza. George is dead. Call me back.
hadn’t read this post yet. thanks
And it is based on SKC and LA blowing pretty easy chances to finish among the top 4 but letting results escape them in the group stage 🙁
This set up does not look promising for the MLS teams but perhaps there will be some surprises. The Liga MX teams could be in bad form or have key injuries. We’ll see.
Anyone know what network will air these? Fox Sports1?
I thought the Portland Timbers were in CONCACAF next week? Did I miss something?
Next year. These are for the current tournament.
We’re still in the 2013-2014 CCL cycle. Portland enters the 2014-2015 tournament this summer.
These games better be televised.
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.
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.
Never occurred that partial reason for Cruz Azul buying MLS players was for the Champions League
But they can’t use them for THIS concacaf champs league though (cup tied)
That’s true. Farfan possibly though?
Nah. Since the coach didn’t want those players they probably will never see the field for CA
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?
And you know this because….
Can’t see any mls team going through
I disagree. I think the Galaxy provides the best chance.
I will share you optimism IF Robbie Keane is fully recuperated and the Galaxy do something to fix their midfield. If not, they’re going to struggle at home and away. And I say this as a Galaxy fan.
good points.
Robbie Keane seems to always skip the March games, injury or not. So, I don’t think the Galaxy is going through. But I do believe the Earthquakes might make it.
lol @ the Quakes
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.
this ^^^
and why are all the MLS teams at home first?
just saw Jay Buhner’s post below. thanks Jay