With the Don's latest state of the league comments about the importance of the Concacaf Champions League (CCL) and the extra load that it puts on teams that do well in the MLS standings, I've been thinking about what the league could do. Let's start out with the commissioner's problem description:

We need to prove that we can be among the best teams in the region, and that means beating Mexico.

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These are the young gentleman who saw time against Chelsea and Barcelona, and sparse minutes during the Open Cup, but did not see time in league play. Impressions of these players are strongest for those that have the opportunity to see practice, or have talked to those that have. As Developmental Players their small contracts don't count against the cap, but they also tend to have second jobs as well.

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When the schedule came out it was obvious that this was going to be the biggest game of the season regardless of thee standings. There was a pretty good chance that at least one team would be fighting for the playoffs, plus you add in the rivalry and the Rocky Mountain Cup and its was always going to be an important game. Click to continue reading...

The stage was set in El Salvador last night for the Houston Dynamo to punch their ticket to the CCL quarterfinals. Earlier in the evening, Pachuca had knocked off Arabe Unido 2-0, meaning three points would seal qualification and give MLS their second entrant in the next round.

But Isidro Metapan, the tiny club from Central America and winless in their previous five CCL matches -- having been outscored 17-0 in those games -- was out to play the spoiler.

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As the CONCACAF Champions League group stage entered its last week, all three MLS representatives were still with a chance of qualification to the knockout round of the competition. Results through Wednesday night have cleared up the fates of the Columbus Crew and the Houston Dynamo, while DC United must sweat out the last Group B game taking place tonight.

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CCL: Houston Dynamo v. Isidro Metapán
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Finishing 1-1 against the leader of the Mexican Primera Division on the road is a better result than most of us expected, and probably a better result than we deserved. Still, thanks to some inspired play by a few individuals, and some poor shooting by Toluca, we emerged with a single point.
A win would have secured our spot in the Champions' League quarterfinals, but let's not count ourselves out yet. Click to continue reading...

DC United, fresh off a convincing win in the CCL, but wounded by a crushing result in Honduras, DC desperately needs some good news such as a win over Chivas, a playoff rival, who are coming to visit RFK tomorrow night. Click to continue reading...

Both MLS clubs had a chance to seize the initiative in their respective CONCACAF Champions League groups last night, but only one managed to come through. D.C. walloped San Juan Jabloteh 5-1 to hop into second place in Group B, while Houston failed to score and lost to Pachuca 1-0. United has completed a rather remarkable turnaround in the competition, after going winless last year and dropping their first two this year.

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Both MLS clubs had a chance to seize the initiative in their respective CONCACAF Champions League groups last night, but only one managed to come through. D.C. walloped San Juan Jabloteh 5-1 to hop into second place in Group B, while Houston failed to score and lost to Pachuca 1-0. United has completed a rather remarkable turnaround in the competition, after going winless last year and dropping their first two this year.

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Hate to say it but no evening links and thoughts tonight. Just too busy with work and the Dallas game tonight to put in a real effort for this. I should be back tomorrow with another ELT.

Enjoy the soccer night of MLS and CCL games!

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The San Juan Kings invade RFK tomorrow night as DC United hosts the perennial powerhouses from Trinidad, but Jabloteh is winless in the CCL and has little to play for, while DC has a tremendous shot at advancing out of group play with a win. Click to continue reading...

Nick Garcia poses with irate visitor from space
For a handful of seconds Saturday night, early in the second half against Chicago Fire, Toronto FC looked like a team that knows how to play this game. Gerba with the ball at the half line in traffic, rather than his usual solo struggles out in the wastelands, sent the ball out to the left wing for Dero. Click to continue reading...

Heading into the fourth round of CONCACAF Champions League and the leaders are separating themselves from the pack. Nowhere is this more evident than Group C, where Columbus and Cruz Azul have a small lead ahead of the bottom two teams in the group, Saprissa and Puerto Rico.Â

With the way the standings are set, the winner of tonight's match is in the driver's seat to at least snag one of the top two spots in the group and advance to the quarterfinals. Click to continue reading...

Last night, the Houston Dynamo did what an elite MLS club is supposed to do at home against lesser competition in the CONCACAF Champions League: they dominated. Houston took care of Panamanian...

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This week on MFUSA, Jason and Zach tackle the lack of playing time for some USMNT players, bring in Dave Clark of Sounder at Heart to talk about the MLS Supporters Summit and the playoff prospects of...

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The Columbus Crew did something last night that no other American team has ever been able to do; they won at Estadio Saprissa in Costa Rica, taking down their hosts 1-0 in the CONCACAF Champions...

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With just six League games remaining in the 2009 regular season, United is right in the thick of a closely contested playoff race. With 33 points, United is currently tied - with New England, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake - for the final two playoff spots. The good news for United fans is that the team begins a five game League homestand Wednesday against the Kansas City Wizards.

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The CONCACAF Champions League, it's now obvious, is little more than the lab experiment that proves just how dysfunctional CONCACAF has become under the reign of Jack Warner.
In a wonderful discussion over at Match Fit USA, Jason Davis points out that the "CONCAJOKE Champions League" brings up this question:

Why should the US, and by extension MLS, want to remain in a confederation that allows environments that condone criminal behavior (at least I hope throwing bodily fluids at someone is a crime elsewhere in the region), officiating that is so poor it makes a mockery of the game, and a general disregard for order and properly conducted sporting events?

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I was tempted to title this post "CONCAJOKE Champions League", but thought better of it. Still, too good not to use in some form. This is going to start with some thoughts on MLS in the competition...

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A full evening of soccer is upon us. Tonight we have one MLS game and three CONCACAF Champions League games with MLS clubs involved. I've already discussed the lone MLS game tonight so let's take a gander at the three CCL matches real quick before we get into some links.

Toluca at DC United (8pm, FSC)

United returns home looking for their first-ever win in the CONCACAF Champions League.

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The second round of CONCACAF Champions League group games continues tonight, and all three MLS clubs find themselves in action. So far through the early stages of the tournament, no team has managed to come away with a draw.

Last week was certainly a positive start for U.S. teams, with both Columbus and Houston getting off to winning starts in a difficult competition.

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The second round of CONCACAF Champions League group games continues tonight, and all three MLS clubs find themselves in action. So far through the early stages of the tournament, no team has managed to come away with a draw.

Last week was certainly a positive start for U.S. teams, with both Columbus and Houston getting off to winning starts in a difficult competition.

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                                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer seasons are famous for the streaks and slumps that teams invariably go through and two teams coming out of mid-season slumps just in time for the stretch run are New England and Chivas USA.

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                                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer seasons are famous for the streaks and slumps that teams invariably go through and two teams coming out of mid-season slumps just in time for the stretch run are New England and Chivas USA.

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Week 23 in Major League Soccer proved to be a big one for some clubs. New York finally got off the losing end of things, New England won two straight to move into playoff contention, San Jose finally turned the tide late in the games, and LA got four quality road points in the week.

Yes, week 23 changed a decent bit of things in the rankings.

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This week Jason and Zach tackle "The Everton Way", MLS news and the importance of the CONCACAF Champions League, the potential sale of USL, and some news and rumors on Americans Abroad. Match Fit...

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Landon Donovan leads LA against DC this weekend. (Getty Images)

So far the week has not been kind to my predictions. In two midweek games both road sides have gone out and upset some seemingly strong sides on their own turf. Both LA and New England played solid matches this past week and earned three big road points in the process.

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Houston Dynamo defeated Salvadoran club Metapan last night in their first of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage on a 68' goal by Brian Ching. The victory gives Houston three crucial points as...

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Since I haven't posted here for a few days, I figure by now that the faithful mavens of BigSoccer can be separated into three basic groups:
a) Guys who have been up most of the night pacing the floor and saying "Why? Why? WHY hasn't Archer posted to the blog?" and generally suffering the same symptoms as someone in a crack rehabilitation clinic. Click to continue reading...

Honestly, I have more important things to worry about than BA Duane right now. If I didn't, I'd be posting more often. But there's just too much fail in his latest stick poking/hit whoring effort to let it go unchallenged. To summarize, Duane thinks Columbus Crew should be moved because they drew just over 6,000 fans to see their team play the Puerto Rico Islanders in a non-league match on a Tuesday night:

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You might not have noticed it with the UEFA Champions League on something like 87 channels yesterday (at least if you had DirecTV like I do), but the CONCACAF Champions League group stage quietly got underway last night. Steven Goff points out even the players don't see the tournament as a priority: he quotes Santino Quaranta of DC, who ahead of their 3-1 loss to Marathon of Honduras said that "It's important to the club and it's important to the people here we're taking it seriously but for me, the league has to be [the priority], right?

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When I say "Champions League", what comes to mind? Yesterday brought with it the return of the UEFA Champions League and the start of the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League. The former...

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CSD Comunicaciones (Guatemala) International recognition for this club came from a 1978 CCL Cup and 2 UNCAF club championships in 1971 and 1983. ... Click to continue reading...

After dispatching Toronto FC of Major League Soccer to earn their place in the 2009/10 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stages, the Islanders turn their attention to another MLS foe as they face the Columbus Crew tonight at Crew Stadium. Puerto Rico is looking to repeat their from last season's CCL tournament that saw them within penalty kicks of the Champions League final. Click to continue reading...