FC Dallas and Toronto FC met yet again this season tonight in the CCL. (Getty Images)
It is hard to believe but also pretty damn cool to think we could very well have four Major
League Soccer clubs in the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. We already have one in
the Seattle Sounders and after this week we could have three more.
Saw this quote from Sigi Schmid in regards to Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith staying at home
this past week for the Rapids CCL trip to Honduras. Can't say I disagree with this either. Even
though the Rapids won their game, the head coach should have made the trip. It will be interesting
to see if any excuse from Smith finally comes out this weekend.
Seattle Sounders celebrate their goal against Monterrey. (Photo via MLSSoccer.com)
FC Dallas will always get the credit for the first one, but the Seattle Sounders may get credit
for winning the first big one.
The Sounders did the unthinkable last night by fielding a team of half reserves and half
starters against the defending CONCACAF Champions League champions, Monterrey and came up with a
huge 1-0 win in Mexico.
Here's a story I just posted over at BigDSoccer.com, is it too soon for a club like Dallas to
rest some starters in a winnable CCL game on the road?
It's certainly high risk/high reward if things go right for them in doing so.
Marvin Chaves celebrates his goal in Mexico. (Mexsport)
"It only takes one."
That was something my old soccer coach back in West Virginia used to tell me and my teammates
before (and sometimes during) a game that we knew would be tough. We had this one team that we
played a couple times a year that always seemed to get the best of us and would typically beat
us.
Monterrey hopes to defend their CCL crown. (Getty Images)
The 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League groups are all set. The play-in round is over after last
night and we can now shift focus to what the five Major League Soccer sides need to do to advance
out of their respective groups.
For the most part we should hope to see at least one, if not two MLS sides advance out of the
group stage.
Seattle hopes to be the next MLS team to make a deep run in the CCL. (Getty Images)
Back in April the 2010/11 CONCACAF Champions League ended in a thud for Major League Soccer. The
one club (Real Salt Lake) with any dreams of having CCL glory come their way was dashed away as
they fell to Mexican side Monterrey in the final match.
The draw for the next tournament was announced today and once again the MLS road to CONCACAF
glory runs through Mexico.
The Preliminary Round matches will be played on July 16-28 (1st Leg) and August 2-4 (2nd Leg).
The Group Stage is tentatively scheduled to begin the second week of August.
