CCL Quarter Final Leg 1 Recap

Monterrey [3-1] Monarcas Morelia (Highlights)

Monterrey pulled off quite the upset, topping their Primera Division counterpart thanks to a brace from Chilean international Humberto Suazo and a late goal to restore their two goal lead and put the game firmly out of reach of Morelia by A. Carreno after Morelia managed to get back into the game thanks to a J. Huiqui goal.

Toronto FC [2-2] LA Galaxy (Highlights)

Toronto, lifted by a club record and second all-time tournament crowd of 47,653, shocked the Galaxy by getting a two goal lead before the match had hit the twenty minute mark, goals coming from Ryan Johnson and rookie Luis Silva only five minutes apart. The Galaxy, however, soon got back into the game thanks to a Mike Magee goal in the twenty ninth minute. They capped off the comeback in the dying moments of the match with goal by none other than Landon Donovan, who easily latched onto the ball after it had been loose in the box following a Beckham corner and knocking it home.

Seattle Sounders FC [2-1] Santos Laguna (Highlights)

The Sounders got out to a dream start at Century Link, they dominated the match early on, keeping Santos on the back pedal and ruling much of the run of play. That dominance quickly paid of, the Sounders striking first in the twelfth minute David Estrada heading a beautiful Fredy Montero cross past Santos keeper Oswaldo Sanchez. The Sounders couldn't quite maintain the domination they displayed early on in the match, Santos gaining purchase in match as the half drew to a close. Midway through the second half Santos took advantage of their increased authority in the match and leveled the terms, Hercules Gomez gathering the ball off of a Marc Crosas cross and deftly touching the ball past a reaching Michael Gspurning. The Sounders had an almost immediate response, however. Just two minutes later the Sounders earned a free kick in close proximity to the box, Mauro Rosales providing excellent service into the box and Brad Evans catching Sanchez off of his line and heading the ball home.

Isidro Metapan [2-1] Pumas UNAM (Highlights)

Lester Blanco led the way for Metapan, tallying a goal right before halftime and another only minutes after the second half had commenced. Pumas managed to force their way back into the game, however, Eduardo Herrara getting the Mexican team's lone goal in the sixty seventh minute.

Sounders Claim 2012-13 CCL Group Stage Berth

Thanks to the LA Galaxy claiming the MLS Cup Sunday night, the Sounders have claimed a berth in the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions league group stages. Because the Galaxy claimed both the MLS Cup and Supporter's Shield, they can only hold onto one of the awarded CCL group stage berths and thus their second one falls to the team with the second best regular season record. Because they were Cup runner-ups, the Houston Dynamo get the opportunity to play in to the competition, and because the Sounders claim the Supporter's Shield berth, the play-in opportunity that they were awarded because they won the US Open Cup fall to the team with the third best regular season record, Real Salt Lake.

CCL Quarter-Finals Set

After the draw took place earlier this month, a few days ago the dates were officially set for the quarter finals of the CONCACAF Champions League next March.

First Leg

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 

Morelia (MEX) vs. Monterrey (MEX), 10 p.m. (9 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 

Toronto FC (CAN) vs. LA Galaxy (USA), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Seattle Sounders (USA) vs. Santos (MEX), 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) 

Thursday, March 8, 2012 

Isidro Metapan (SLV) vs. Pumas (MEX), 8 p.m. (7 p.m.) 

Second Leg 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 

Monterrey (MEX) vs. Morelia (MEX), 10 p.m. (8 p.m.) 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 

Santos (MEX) vs. Seattle Sounders (USA), 8 p.m. (6 p.m.) 

LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Toronto FC  (CAN), 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) 

Thursday, March 15, 2012 

Pumas (MEX) vs. Isidro Metapan (SLV), 10 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Defensive Errors Hurt The Sounders

A tie would've allowed the Sounders to win the group and face preferable competition in the quarter-finals, but unfortunately defensive errors plagues the Sounders as they fell 2-1 to Monterrey. Once again the Sounders found themselves in a bad position early, as Carreno took advantage of an asleep backline in the third minute and easily fired the ball past an advancing Brian Meredith. The Sounders were able to draw level only a few minutes before halftime, Fredy Montero curling a fantastic free kick just out of reach of the Monterrey keeper into the bottom left corner of the goal. The Sounders entered the second half looking good, but yet another defensive error haunted them. A poor and lazy backpass was easily picked off by Monterrey, and the initial attempt by Humberto Suazo was successfully defended, but the ball fell to Delgado who fired it past Meredith. Try as they might, the Sounders just couldn't find another equalizer. Monterrey's shameful time-wasting certainly didn't help the Sounders' case either. Regardless the Sounders have already clinched their birth in the quarter-finals, so this loss was of little consequence in terms of advancing.

CCL Group Stage Round 6

The sixth and final round of the CONCACAF Group Stage is almost upon us, and every single Major League Soccer team in the tournament has either the guarantee (Sounders) or the likelihood of moving on to the quarter-finals. As always, you can watch the matches through CONCACAF TV.

Tuesday, October 17th

Morelia [2-1] Alajuelense (Highlights)

[Goals: 36' P. Antonio Gabas (Ala), 56' J. Rojas (Mor), 59' M. Sabah (Mor)]
With this victory Morelia draws level with Alajuelense in terms of points, but takes the top of the group on head-to-head. Now the Galaxy must win against Montagua to make it through.

FC Dallas [0-1] Toronto FC (Highlights)

[Goals: 29' D. Koevermanns (TFC), 69' J. Plata (TFC), 81' J. Plata (TFC)]
FC Dallas came out incredibly and surprisingly flat, and Toronto took advantage. They cruised past their fellow MLS side into the quarter-finals.

Seattle Sounders FC [1-2] Monterrey (Highlights)
[Goals: 3' A. Carreno (Mon), 42' F. Montero (Sea), 60' C. Delgado (Mon)]
Read recap here.

Wednesday, October 18th

Santos Laguna [2-0] Colorado Rapids (Highlights)
[Goals: 55' A. Galindo (San), 67' J. Escoboza (San)]
Colorado simply couldn't muster what it took to win, and the points that they dropped at home came back to haunt them. Santos snuffed any possibility of Colorado moving on.

Pumas UNAM [1-0] Tauro (Highlights)
[Goals: 45' J. Cacho (Pum)]
With the victory, Pumas clinch the top spot in the group and move on to the quarter-finals along with Toronto FC.

Herediano [4-1] Communicaciones (Highlights)
[Goals: 8' C. Mejia (Com), 13' J. Barbosa (Her), 41' J. Barbosa (Her), 49' C. Montero (Her), 61' J. Cordero (Her)]
Though both teams were out of contention for moving out of the group stage, Herediano shocked Communicaciones by scoring four goals, three of which were ultimately uncontested. 

Thursday, October 19th

Metapan [3-2] Real Espana (Highlights)
[Goals: 50' P. Suarez (Met), 56' E. Delgado (Esp), 68' R. Sanchez (Met), 82' P. Suarez (Met), 90+2' M. Martinez (Esp)]
Colorado's hopes of moving on fell on this match, a draw being the result they needed. Unfortunately, a wild second half saw Metapan leave the match the winners and the Rapid's hopes of a quarter-final appearance die.

Montagua [0-1] LA Galaxy (Highlights)
[Goals: 29' Juninho (LAG)]
Despite being on the back-pedal for much of the match, Juninho's lone wonder goal was all the Galaxy needed to claim victory and a berth in the quarter-finals.

Sounders Squeeze Their Way Into Quarter Finals

Despite fielding essentially a starting line-up, throughout most of the match the Sounders had to fight their way back. Communicaciones struck early once again, forward Montepeque evading the attempted offsides trap by the Sounders back line and easily chipping the ball over Keller, who happened to be caught way off of his line, and into the goal. The match was evenly fought until the waning minutes of the  first half, when Osvaldo Alonso struck for the Sounders. After chaos in the box Alonso was directly in the path of an attempted clearance that he first time volleyed, and the ball found it's way into the net thanks to a fortunate deflection.

Communicaciones struck once again early into the second half, sixty fourth minute. Kasey Keller mishandled a cross from a corner kick and Morales was there to feed on the mistake and snap the shot in. After finding themselves chasing the game again, the Sounders made pushed incredibly hard in an attempt to find another equalizer. After several great opportunities including a Fredy Montero shot the clattered off of the crossbar, the Sounders found another equalizing goal, again through Alonso. Again Alonso was in the right place at the right time, picking up another poorly cleared ball and hammering it home.

While still not one hundred percent certain, with tonight's tie it's looking like the Sounders are advancing to the quarter-finals. Next up they play their final group stage match at home against Monterrey, who won their match against Herediano tonight.

CCL Group Stage Round 5

The fifth round of the CONCACAF Champions League group stages kick off tomorrow night. As always, you can watch all of the matches via live stream through CONCACAF TV and be sure to check back with this post regularly for scores, summaries, and links to highlights for every match.

Tuesday, September 26th

Toronto FC [1-1] Pumas UNAM (Highlights)
[Goals: 35' P. Marosevic, 51' M. Palacios]
While they managed a tie, Toronto looked nowhere even close to pulling out a victory. This result does not help their cause in moving on.


Communicaciones [1-1] Sounders FC (Highlights)
[Goals: 7' T. Montepeque, 44' O. Alonso, 64' R. Morales, 89' O. Alonso]
Thanks to two equalizing goals by Ozzie Alonso, the Sounders have essentially guaranteed their advancement to the quarter-finals.


Monterrey [1-0] Herediano (Highlights)
[Goals: 30' A. De Nigris]
With tonight's loss Herediano has lost any possible chance of advancing to the quarter-finals.

Wednesday, September 27th

Real Espana [1-1] Santos Laguna (Highlights)
[Goals: 51' C. Ochoa (San), 61' M. Martinez (Rea)]
Santos Laguna strengthens their gold on first place in the group with last night's tie with Real Espana.


Tauro [5-3] FC Dallas (Highlights)
[Goals: 12' L. Moreno (Tau), 23' J. Benitez (FCD), 33' A, Gallardo (Tau), 77' T. Perez (Tau), 81' M. Sanchez (Tau), 84' R. Luna (FCD), 86' T. Perez (Tau), 90' R. Luna (FCD)]
FC Dallas gave some playing time to a handful of their reserves in this wild match that not only saw eight goals, but three red cards. It's do or die in the last round for FC Dallas, as they face Toronto FC who also sits on seven points after Round 5.

LA Galaxy [2-1] Morelia (Highlights)
[Goals: 21' M. Magee (LA), R. Marquez Lugo (Mor), 90' Juninho (LA)]
After losing their last two matchs, the Galaxy were dangerously close to being out of contention for a quarter-finals berth. With this victory their back in the hunt.


Isidro Metapan [1-3] Colorado Rapids (Highlights)
[Goals: 31' E. Ababio (Col), 36' A. Pacheco (Met), 49' Q. Amerikwa (Col), 77' O. Cummings (Col)]
Despite having admitted to throwing in the towel in the CCL to focus on league play, the Rapids managed a surprising away victory over Isidro Metapan. With the victory they leap-frog into second place behind Santos.

Thursday, September 28th

Alajuelense [1-0] Montagua (Highlights)
[Goals: 27' J. McDonald (Ala)]
Alajuelense now top Group A with tonight's victory. If other results don't go their way next round, the Galaxy will find themselves eliminated from the competition.

The Perfect CCL Run Ends

A completely flat and uninspired first half doomed the Sounders, as they went on to fall 1-0 to the Costa Rican side CS Herediano. The Sounders started the match absolutely lifeless, letting Herediano play right through them, ultimately leading to the match's one and only goal. In the twenty fifth minute, after a foul just outside the box, Herediano's Arias expertly blasted home the free kick opportunity. The second half additions of Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso clearly reinvigorated the Sounders, as well as the addition of the club's recent aquisition Sammy Ochoa who near scored an equalizer, but thanks to valient goalkeeping by Cambronero the Sounders just could not erase Herediano's one goal advantage. This loss isn't the end of the world, but the Sounders have certainly made advancing to the quarter-finals lot harder for themselves with tonight's loss. Next up in CCL play, the Sounders face Communicaciones down in Guatemala.

CCL Group Stages Round 4

CONCACAF's preview video is currently unavailable through Youtube

The fourth round of the group stages kicks off tonight. As always the Toronto FC/Tauro and Sounders FC/Herediano matches taking place tonight can be viewed via the CONCACAF TV website, as well as tomorrow's FC Dallas/Pumas and Alajuelense/Galaxy matches. As with the previous post, expect me to continually update this post with scores and match summaries.

September 20th

Toronto FC [1-0] Tauro FC (Highlights)
[Goal 40': D. Koevermans (TFC)]
Koevermans continues his excellent run of form for Toronto, having scored all goals for Toronto in the club's last two matches.


CF Monterrey [3-1] CSD Communicaciones (Highlights)
[Goals: 32' S. Santana (Mon), 68' L. Perez (Mon), 83' C. Mejia (Com), 86' H. Suazo (Mon)]
After struggling the last two matches, it seems that Monterrey have found their legs in the competition once again.

Sounders FC [0-1] CS Herediano (Highlights)
[Goals: 25' Y. Arias (Her)]
The Sounders came out completely flat, and Herediano made them pay for it. Despite some late pressure, the Sounders just could not find an answer to Herediano's early goal.

September 21st

FC Dallas [0-2] Pumas UNAM (Highlights)
[Goals: 84' E. Herrera, 90'+1 D. Izazola]
After both sides remaining incredibly close for over eighty minutes, Pumas UNAM struck twice to leave Pizza Hut Park with all three points.


Colorado Rapids [1-2] Real Espana (Highlights)
[Goals: 12' C. Pavon, 18' A. Akpan, 33' C. Pavon]
Colorado continues to slide in Champions League play. They don't have much of a chance of advancing after tonight's result.


Alajuelense [1-0] LA Galaxy (Highlights)
[Goals: 28' P. Antonio Gabas]
Much like the Sounders match yesterday, one lone free kick goal was the difference. The Galaxy didn't look particularly threatening, Alajuelense having most of the scoring opportunities.

September 22nd

Santos Laguna [6-0] Isidro Metapan (Highlights)

[Goals: 21' J. Cardenas (San), 28' C. Quintero (San), 38' O. Peralta (San), 55' C. Quintero, 79' C. Ochoa, 86' O. Peralta]
Santos absolutely steamrolled Metapan, two players scoring a brace each (one near a hat trick on several occasions), claiming the top spot in the group.

Montagua [0-2] Morelia (Highlights)
[Goals: 55' Y. Corona, 58' D. Manso]
With tonight's loss, Montagua is officially eliminated from moving on into the quarter-finals.

CCL Group Stages Round 3

The third round of the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League begin today. You can view the matches between the Galaxy and Morelia and the Rapids and Santos toccurring tonight, here. Likewise for the matches tomorrow for the Sounders, FC Dallas, and Toronto FC. Expect me to post the occasional update on Twitter about the matches, and I'll post scores and match summaries here later.

Morelia [2-1] LA Galaxy (Highlights)
After a fairly even first half that saw Morelia with the majority of the possession and the Galaxy with the best of the chances, the match broke wide open in the second half. The Galaxy struck first in the fifty second minute, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane linking up, Keane smashing the ball past the Morelia goalkeeper. Morelia maintained massive pressure, and finally broke through the Galaxy's defense in the eighty third minute, Saunders mishandling a shot and the ball just trickling over the goal line. Morelia sealed the victory in stoppage time, on a header direct from a corner.

Colorado Rapids [1-4] Santos Laguna (Highlights)
From the start the Rapids didn't have much of a chance. Santos struck early in the fourteenth minute, and then doubled their advantage thirteen minutes later. Heading into the second half it had seemed that the Rapids had begun to get a grip on the game, but what grip they had quickly slipped away as Santos re-asserted their dominance on the match, scoring their third goal at the hands of some sloppy defending on a long ball over the top in the sixty fourth minute. Just seven minutes after that Santos added their fourth. The Rapids managed to get a foothold in the match through a goal by second half substitute Mullen, but ultimately they just couldn't claw their way back.

FC Dallas [1-1] Tauro (Highlights)
After getting an early lead on a Danny Cruz goal (the earliest in tournament history at twenty three seconds), the two sides played a fairly even match. A penalty in the forty first minute for the visitors proved to be the deciding moment of them game, Luis Moreno stepping up and converting the penalty. Into the second half, each side continued to pursue a second goal but ultimately couldn't find one.

Pumas UNAM [4-0] Toronto FC (Highlights)
Toronto came out incredibly flat against the Mexican side, conceding four goals in the first half. They managed to hold of any other attempt on goal in the second half, but unfortunately could not make up any ground.


CS Herediano [1-2] Seattle Sounders FC (Highlights)
Read recap here

Other Matches

• Real Espana [1-2] Isidro Metapan (Highlights) (Notably, Metapan get their first ever road win in the tournament, their record now 1-0-7)
• Communicaciones [1-0] Monterrey (Highlights) (The defending champs drop their second in a row)
• Montagua [2-4] Alajuelense (Highlights) (Alajuelense now move into a three way tie with the LA Galaxy and Morelia for first on points)

Sounders hold on for historic win over Monterrey

FC Dallas, it seems, opened the door for MLS success down in Mexico with their historic victory against Pumas UNAM last week. The Sounders followed their example, defeating the defending champion Monterrey on a lone goal by Alvaro Fernandez. Leading to the match's lone goal in the thirty eighth minute, the match was a fairly even affair with no clear scoring opportunities for either side. That changed in the thirty eighth minute, as the Sounders got possession of the ball on a breakaway opportunity and they certainly made the most of it. The build-up down the midfield lead to Pat Noonan slipping Fernandez a perfectly weighted ball into the box, who easily and cooly finished it hammering the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net. Through the rest of the match the Sounders endured massive pressure by Monterrey, but no matter how many times they got the ball into the box the Sounders' defense just would not crack and when they failed to prevent a shot on frame, Terry Boss was there to keep it out. Next up in CCL play for the Sounders is Leo Gonzalez's former club down in Costa Rica, Herediano.

The Sounders open the group stages with a bang

After conceding a goal in the second minute, the Sounders fought back against Guatemala's Comunicaciones to open up Group D play of the CONCACAF Champions League with a resounding scoreline of 4-1. Comunicaciones managed an early lead, through a cross by Bryan Orroz into the box that Jairo Arreola. The Sounders fought their way back into the game in the thirty fifth minute, Mike Fucito serving the ball into the box off a corner kick and Brad Evans heading it in off the crossbar on the near post.

At the half the Sounders were absolutely dominating the match, with just over seventy percent of the possession. That trend continued on into the second half, as the Sounders proceeded in steamrolling the Guatemalan side. They would go down a man first, however. In the fifty fifth minute Lamar Neagle was shone a straight red for a rash kick to the shins of Juan Marquez. The ejection seemed to have the exact opposite effect one would have expected. Six minutes later Fucito received a brilliant pass from Fredy Montero into the box, which he took past the last defender and easily finished inside the far post. Fucito struck again another six minutes later, gathering the ball off of fantastic build-up by Brad Evans and Alvaro Fernandez and bending a sizzling shot into the back of the net.

Comunicaciones nearly got back into the game in the eightieth minute, after some chaos inside the Sounders' penalty area found the ball deflecting off of Patrick Ianni's thigh and apparently just over the goal line before being cleared by Ianni. The ref clearly missed it, and in the process of arguing with the ref Comunicaciones lost the man advantage Edgar Martinez receiving a second yellow and the resulting ejection.

Fuctio nearly capped the night off with a hat trick, but Rosales pass was cut off by a sliding Comunicaciones defender and knocked in for  an own goal.

Next up in CCL play the Sounders face reigning champs Monterrey away.

The Sounders Blast Past San Francisco FC

After a fairly even first leg in which a lone penalty kick in San Francisco's favor was the deciding factor, the Sounders entered tonights second leg of the CCL group stage qualifier with their backs against the wall. And considering the circumstances, they responded to the situation excellently. The Sounders absolutely dominated the run of play, and despite that domination it took them until late in the first half (41st minute) to tally their first goal. Fredy Montero rolled the ball into the corner of the box for Gonzalez who made an overlapping run, who crossed it to a waiting Alvaro Fernandez who headed the ball home.

The domination continued through the second half, the Sounders just hammering away shot after shot at San Francisco's goal. To the Sounders misfortune, however, the match had to move into extra time for them to find the clinching goal. In the ninety eighth minute Alvaro Fernandez found his way up the left side of the field, crossing the ball to a completely open Nate Jaqua who had all the time in the world to hammer the ball into the roof of the net. With the clinching goal in hand you would probably have thought the Sounders would do as much possible to drain time off of the clock, but they kept pushing for another goal. The referee blew the whistle straight on the one hundred and twenty minute mark, sending the Sounders on their way into Group D along with last tournament's champions Monterrey.

Notes

• The Sounders ultimately outshot San Francisco an amazing 34-9
• Two of the league's best fell to lesser competition tonight, Real Salt Lake dropping a second game at a 2-0 scoreline in a row to Sporting Kansas City and the Portland Timbers dominating the LA Galaxy 3-0
• Both other MLS teams playing in the qualification round of the CCL, Toronto FC and FC Dallas, also made their way into the group stage