Goodbye CONCACAF Champions League, hello CONCACAF Champions Cup

The competition has been revamped and rebranded ahead of the 2024 edition

The CONCACAF Champions League is no more, as the competition has been revamped and rebranded as the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

CONCACAF announced the sweeping changes to the competition on Tuesday, which will see the teams increase from 16 to 27 and the prize money for the champion increase to $5 million, more than five times the previous amount.

Starting with the 2024 edition, 22 teams will begin play in round one with five given a bye to the round of 16, with all ties taking place in a two-leg, home-and-away format.

In another change, the final will now be a single match rather than the home-and-away playoff that it had been previously.

The rebrand is actually a return to the competition’s previous name, as it was known as the CONCACAF Champions Cup from 1962 to 2008.

“Maintaining the word ‘Champions’ was crucial for us to highlight that this tournament is at the top of the club pyramid in CONCACAF,” said the confederation’s general secretary Philippe Moggio.

“We also feel that moving away from ‘Champions League’ allows us to develop a unique identity for our club competition. In returning to the original tournament name, we will have the opportunity to truly connect the last 61 years of Continental club football in CONCACAF with what is coming in the future.”

CONCACAF Champions Cup format

Credit: CONCACAF

Three teams will qualify through the new CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, while six will qualify through the new CONCACAF Central American Cup. Three will come from the newly expanded Leagues Cup between MLS and Liga MX.

The two leagues will qualify 11 teams between them through league and playoff play, while two teams will come from the Canadian Premier League.

Finally, the champions of the U.S. Open Cup and Canadian Championship will earn a spot.

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Club Leon wins CONCACAF Champions League as LAFC falls flat

Steve Cherundolo’s side was subpar in both legs of the final

Club Léon has won the CONCACAF Champions League, defeating a flat Los Angeles FC 1-0 in the second leg of the final to seal a 3-1 aggregate win.

One year after the Seattle Sounders won the CCL, breaking a 13-year run of Liga MX champions, the winner of the region’s premier club competition once again hails from the Mexican top flight.

It’s the first CCL title for Léon, which defeated LAFC 2-1 on Thursday at the Estadio Léon in a game Steve Cherundolo admitted his side was lucky to only lose by one goal.

LAFC anticipated a much improved display in the second leg at BMO Stadium on Sunday, but instead it was more of the same for the MLS champions.

Looking to shake things up, Cherundolo opted to try out a new formation in a rather big spot. The LAFC coach shifted away from his typical 4-3-3 in favor of a 5-3-2 setup.

LAFC fell behind after 20 minutes, and the 5-3-2 may have been at least partly to blame. Léon right back Iván Moreno found a ton of space on the right flank with Diego Palacios pushed way up the field in a wingback position.

Moreno’s cross was met by Lucas Di Yorio, who did not get ideal contact on his strike but still managed to beat John McCarthy.

Admitting his mistake, Cherundolo made two halftime subs and went back to the 4-3-3.

But LAFC was slow to respond with the kind of performance that was expected of them going into the final, failing to generate many chances that could trouble Léon goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota.

LAFC didn’t show any real urgency until the final 10 minutes, creating a number of chances that either ended with the wrong decision being made or a finish that wasn’t up to standard.

It was a disappointing end for LAFC, which won MLS Cup in 2022 and entered the CCL looking like one of the favorites. Léon was, however, the only Mexican team LAFC played in the knockout round, having previously defeated Costa Rican opposition and two MLS sides en route to the final.

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LAFC somehow escape CCL final first leg trailing Club Leon by just one goal

LAFC got away with one at Estadio Léon

Los Angeles FC will be thanking their lucky stars and John McCarthy after their harrowing first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final somehow only ended in a 2-1 loss.

Despite being favored more than any other MLS team ever has been in a CCL final, the truth was that Léon will be left baffled by how they let the MLS champions leave Estadio Léon without burying them before the second leg (Sunday June 4, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, FS1/TUDN) even kicked off.

A bright start for Léon could have been ruined by an early injury to Yairo Moreno, but seconds after substituting him, the home side capped off their early industry with an inch-perfect William Tesillo header following a corner kick.

The early goal didn’t so much serve as a wake-up call for LAFC as it did announce that Léon would be bossing this game. McCarthy was under the kind of intense pressure throughout the half that no LAFC goalkeeper has ever experienced in the club’s short history.

Still, it seemed they might hang on at 1-0 down, only for disaster to strike. Ryan Hollingshead was called for a handball in the box on another set piece, with VAR upholding the call. Ángel Mena did the rest, making perfect use of the final seconds of the half.

Léon left some big chances unfinished to boot, while LAFC’s improved second half still saw them settling for low-quality chances. There were none better than Mena’s chance at a brace in the 58th minute, which was saved by McCarthy in what proved to be a critical intervention.

McCarthy was doing everything he could, and that ended up being critical, as LAFC would change the tone of the tie entirely in the kind of dramatic, weird fashion that is a CCL hallmark.

First, Léon thought they’d scored a dagger of a third goal at the back post, only for Osvaldo Rodríguez to see his shoulder-goal called back for a foul after he crashed into Sergi Palencia in the process of scoring.

LAFC survived, and then had a stunner of their own at the other end. A break upfield that Léon were emphatic involved a foul on LAFC’s Denil Maldonado was allowed to carry on, and Mateusz Bogusz’s powerful low cross picked out MLS Golden Boot leader Dénis Bouanga for a finish with virtually the game’s final kick.

LAFC celebrated like they’d won the game, but the festivities came with a healthy dose of relief. The second leg will require much more if they’re to follow in the footsteps of the Seattle Sounders.

Cherundolo: ‘Scoreline is extremely lucky for us’

LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo had no illusions about how the game went, leading off his post-game press conference by saying he was “very disappointed” in his side’s performance.

“[Bouanga’s] goal does give us a chance, but that goal alone does not help us win a final,” stated Cherundolo. “The performances of every individual out there, the performance of the group as a group, needs to be much, much improved. I think the scoreline is extremely lucky for us.”

That said, Cherundolo also noted that he knows his team can offer more, and that he expects them to bring their A-game on Sunday.

“We are experienced enough, smart enough to bounce back. We’re also fit enough to put in a much better performance on Sunday. And this team knows exactly what’s at stake,” said Cherundolo. “I am 100% positive [the] LAFC performance on Sunday will be much improved, and hopefully good enough to raise a trophy.”

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CONCACAF Champions League final: LAFC vs Club Leon schedule revealed

LAFC will aim to make it two straight CCL titles for MLS after a 14-year drought

CONCACAF has announced the schedule for its upcoming two-leg Champions League final between Los Angeles FC and Club León.

Both teams will be looking for their first CCL title after vanquishing domestic opponents in the semifinal. LAFC beat the Philadelphia Union 4-1 on aggregate in their semifinal tie, while León got past Tigres 4-3 on aggregate.

The winner of the final will represent CONCACAF in not one, but two FIFA Club World Cups: the 2023 edition in December, and the expanded 32-club tournament in the summer of 2025.

LAFC is looking to make it two straight CCL wins for MLS after the Seattle Sounders broke the league’s curse in 2022. It was the first time in the 14-year history of the competition that the winning team did not hail from Mexico.

Based on its superior results throughout this year’s tournament, LAFC will have home-field advantage in the final and will therefore host the second leg.

Television details will be forthcoming, with Fox holding the rights to the matches.

2023 CONCACAF Champions League final schedule

*Displayed in ET (local time) and home club listed first

Wednesday, May 31 – First Leg
Club León vs. Los Angeles FC – Estadio León — 10 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Sunday, June 4 – Second Leg
Los Angeles FC vs Club Leon – BMO Stadium — 9 p.m. (6 p.m.)

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LAFC shove Philadelphia Union aside, grab spot in CONCACAF Champions League final

It was a battle, and LAFC was more ready for the fight

LAFC has once again established their bona fides as MLS’s top dog.

A rematch of last year’s incredible 2022 MLS Cup saw the same winner, with LAFC beating a 10-man Philadelphia Union 3-0 on Tuesday to seal a 4-1 aggregate win in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals.

LAFC will go on to face either Tigres or Club León in the two-legged final, with dates and kickoff times yet to be announced. Tigres holds a 2-1 lead heading into Wednesday night’s second leg.

A physical battle throughout saw LAFC, normally seen as a possession-oriented team, opt to play on the break for long spells. That approach became much easier when they took an early lead thanks to Timothy Tillman. A 13th-minute LAFC corner saw Andre Blake do a madness to deny Ilie Sánchez, with the Jamaica No. 1 somehow clawing the ball off the line.

Sánchez was left with his head in his hands, but the Union never finished the job, and Tillman was able to smash the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

The Union had their looks from set pieces, but either couldn’t find a finish or were turned back from fine work by John McCarthy, one of their chief tormentors at the 2022 MLS Cup final. At the other end, Blake denied Mateusz Bogusz’s curling effort with another top-drawer save towards the end of the half.

Mostly though, this seemed to be a game characterized by acrimony. Alejandro Bedoya was lucky not to see more than a yellow card for a second-minute tackle, and multiple heavy collisions were followed by jawing and the occasional shove.

With referee Drew Fischer having little option but to dole out yellow cards, someone was bound to get sent off. That fate ended up befalling Olivier Mbaizo, who clattered into Dénis Bouanga just before the hour mark and received his second yellow as a result.

The Union, who had the lion’s share of possession throughout the match, looked more measured playing 10-versus-11, but ultimately LAFC’s counter-punching posture put the contest to bed. The sequence had everything that makes them such a powerhouse: José Cifuentes battled through a tackle to find Carlos Vela, who instantly opened the field up with a glorious diagonal pass out to Kwadwo Opoku.

The young Ghanaian, who LAFC had the luxury of bringing off the bench, finished the chance with power and accuracy, leaving Blake no chance to pull off another miracle save.

Bouanga would go on to supply a 90th-minute strike as the Union were obliged to leave men forward, giving the Gabonese attacker plenty of space to add an exclamation point in front of a delighted crowd at BMO Stadium.

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MLS guaranteed a shot to defend CCL title after Union reach semifinal

Philadelphia set up an all-MLS semifinal against LAFC

It took 14 years for a MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League. Now, the league will have the chance to lift the trophy in back-to-back seasons.

The Philadelphia Union drew Liga MX side Atlas 2-2 in Mexico on Wednesday night, advancing to the semifinal with a 3-2 aggregate win.

That set up an all-MLS semifinal against LAFC, which easily won its all-MLS quarterfinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps by a 6-0 aggregate score.

Whichever team emerges from the rematch of last year’s epic MLS Cup will have the chance to make it two CCL wins in two years for MLS, after the Seattle Sounders made the breakthrough by defeating Pumas in last year’s final.

The winner between LAFC and the Union will likely be facing another Liga MX team in the final. Club León has already reached the other semifinal, while Tigres took a big step toward the last four with a 1-0 away win over Motagua in their quarterfinal first leg.

“The Champions League is a really special competition,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said after defeating Atlas.

“It’s the biggest trophy on our continent and we want to push and try and go for it. Let’s be honest, it’s been a competition that has been completely dominated by Liga MX. We finally broke through and Seattle had a win last year, and our hope this year is that an MLS team can lift that trophy. I’d prefer it be us than LAFC.”

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Aaron Long’s lifeless body is a better defender than most conscious players

The defender was nearly a corpse when he made an amazing first-half block

Good defenders can scramble over at the last minute to make a desperation block. Great defenders are a step ahead of the game, arriving at the perfect spot before the shot is even made.

Aaron Long may have vaulted into a category of his own on Wednesday night, as he managed to get injured and park his lifeless body exactly where a shot arrived several seconds later.

That allowed the LAFC defender to make the defensive play of the night (year?) in a CONCACAF Champions League match against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

With the game scoreless, Long went down injured early in a Vancouver attacking sequence. The ball eventually found its way to Javain Brown, who teed up an inviting first-time strike.

But there was Long, nearly a corpse, getting in front of the ball like any alive defender worth his salt is trained to do.

Long’s incredible anticipation set the stage for a second-half blitz by LAFC, who scored three goals to take a commanding 3-0 advantage into the second leg of the quarterfinal next week.

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Kara bicycle kick equalizer not enough for Orlando City as Tigres advance in CCL

Orlando nearly stole it at the end, but Tigres is moving on

ORLANDO – André-Pierre Gignac stayed home for the second leg of Tigres’ CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 tie with Orlando City. His substitute, on the other hand, netted the vital goal for the Liga MX side to progress.

Sebastián Córdova controlled a cross with his chest and fired a 21st minute strike past the seemingly impenetrable Pedro Gallese as Tigres advanced via away-goals tiebreaker with a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium.

Tigres will face either Honduran side Motagua or Liga MX’s Pachuca, who after a scoreless first leg will settle their clash Thursday in Mexico.

Attacking woes continue to plague Orlando, which made its first CCL appearance in club history. The Lions have scored just three goals in five matches across all competitions this season.

Gallese, however, once again kept Orlando in contention. He made three crucial saves in the opening 15 minutes, including one to deny Nicolás Ibáñez on a header from point-blank range. Across the two legs, the Peruvian international stopped 15 Tigres shots.

“Obviously, he represents a lot of security for us, especially in the second half as we pushed. The lines were higher, and we left spaces in behind,” Orlando manager Oscar Pareja said. “It’s very, very good to see him in good form.”

Gignac, the 37-year-old Frenchman who has five goals and two assists in eight Liga MX Clausura matches, was unavailable due to his unvaccinated status. Current U.S. government rules state all air travelers who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before entering the country.

Orlando very nearly struck against the run of play shortly after that stop on Ibáñez, building up an attack down the left flank. Iván Angulo took a delicate touch in the box, but his curling shot drifted just wide of the far post.

Tigres cashed in its very next opportunity as Córdova evaded Luca Petrasso with the ball in the air. Córdova took it down with his chest and lashed it past the diving Gallese.

Córdova was one of two players inserted into Marco Antonio Ruiz’s starting 11, along with midfielder and captain Guido Pizarro replacing Juan Pablo Vigón.

Orlando nearly staged a miraculous comeback in the final minutes. Ercan Kara equalized on a 90th minute bicycle kick from a corner. Tigres defender Samir was then sent off for a second yellow in the 95th minute, while Orlando rookie Duncan McGuire blazed one last chance over the bar at the final whistle.

“We gave it our all and played to the end,” McGuire said. “From now on, in the games that we play, we have to play the way we finished that game.

“It’s definitely tough to lose a game like that, definitely thought that there maybe should have been more [stoppage] time. … We’ll keep our heads high and move on to the next one.”

Pareja was shown a red card following the match’s conclusion. In the post-game press conference, he argued that Orlando should have been given more stoppage time due to Tigres’ numerous delay tactics.

“Between the 89th and 96th minutes, there were four minutes and 50 seconds that they did not play. They did not allow us to play the game,” Pareja said. “We saw it in the World Cup, guys. If you give five minutes, and they are wasting time, you need to add more time.

“We are respectful, but we are not stupid. We are competing, and they need to realize that.”

Asked about the late stages of the match, Tigres boss Ruiz said, “It’s things that happen in soccer. Logically, a team doesn’t advance, and they get bothered. I don’t know what exactly happened or what the motive was, but people know those things happen in soccer and it’s the passion of the players.”

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Violette AC, with no league to play in, bounces Austin FC in historic CCL upset

History for Violette, and infamy for Austin

Remember the name Violette AC.

The Haitian club posted arguably the single greatest upset in CONCACAF Champions League history, overcoming some massive disadvantages and an excellent opponent in Austin FC to advance to the tournament’s quarterfinals 3-2 on aggregate.

Violette became the first Caribbean-based team to eliminate an MLS side since Trinidad and Tobago club W Connection got past the New York Red Bulls in 2009’s preliminary round.

More notably, Violette’s advancement came amid some astoundingly difficult circumstances. The Haitian side had gone 290 days without a competitive game due to political unrest preventing their domestic league from being played, yet beat Austin 3-0 at a neutral venue in the Dominican Republic last week.

Visa problems restricted numerous Violette players and staff from entering the United States for the second leg. Hudson River Blue reported that the club signed defender Mardoché Samuel Pompée and winger Maudwindo Germain from NPSL club FC Motown —  both former Violette players — to stock their roster. In the end, the Haitian champions had 14 total players (and only one goalkeeper) in uniform; Pompée was reportedly not cleared in time to be in uniform, while Germain started on the right wing.

Austin, fielding 2022 MLS MVP candidate Sebastián Driussi after resting him in the first leg, piled the pressure on Violette from the start. Saves from goalkeeper Paul Robert Décius, and some narrow misses from Gyasi Zardes and Owen Wolff kept the game scoreless.

Austin’s chances seemed limitless, as they produced 18 shot attempts in the first 45 minutes. Driussi thought he had a crucial 25th minute opener, but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was called back after Ethan Finlay was seen to handle the ball in the build-up. The star attacking midfielder would then be denied by an incredible save from Décius as the Verde kept lobbing crosses into the goalmouth from promising spots.

Austin finally changed things up with an attack through the middle, but the outcome was similar: Zardes slipped a shot past Décius in first-half stoppage time, only for an offside flag to deny him the opener.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 51st minute, as Driussi managed to at last solve Décius. It was yet another in the bombardment of crosses, with Emiliano Rigoni picking out an open Driussi for a thunderous volley from 11 yards.

Even that goal wouldn’t come completely cleanly, as a clash over the ball after it had bounced out of the back of the net saw Driussi kicked, a brief scuffle between the teams, and a VAR check all come and go before play finally resumed.

Driussi then had a seemingly clear goal blocked by Wendy St. Felix, but after so much frustration, got an absolute gift to make it 2-0.

Alex Ring’s service from a recycled corner found Driussi breaking the offside trap, but in truth, the Argentine’s header was easy work. Sadly for Décius, his brilliant performance had a momentary letdown, and an easy save slipped off his hands and over the line.

This being the CONCACAF Champions League, the strangeness ramped up from there. As Zardes pleaded his case for a penalty kick, Décius very nearly had his pocket picked by Diego Fagundez while trying to milk the clock for some precious seconds.

A VAR check over the Zardes incident lasted over four agonizing minutes, but referee Oshane Nation at last concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn his initial call. Violette maintained their narrow lead.

Austin had already thrown the kitchen sink at Violette, so the late stages had to be something along the lines of tossing anything else that wasn’t bolted down. Wolff’s sliced attempt at a side-volley left everyone in the stadium holding their breath before floating inches wide, while Driussi’s attempt at a shot from 70 yards or so was arguably less of a threat.

With Violette putting all 11 men within 30 yards of their own goal, the refereeing crew agreed to 10 minutes of stoppage time. Adam Lundqvist’s bullet of a half-volley flashed wide after a glancing deflection in traffic, while every chance Violette had to put the ball into the Q2 Stadium stands was taken.

At long last, Nation — who tacked on about 90 additional seconds due to stoppage-time knocks for Décius and several Violette players cramping up from their efforts — ended what has to go down as an all-time classic for the CCL.

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Orlando City’s CCL shot boosted by Gignac’s refusal to get one

The Tigres star is not permitted to enter the United States

Orlando City earned a massive 0-0 away draw against Tigres in the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday night.

Facing the heavily favored Liga MX side, Orlando conceded plenty of possession and allowed 22 total shots, but a strong defensive performance and some key saves from Pedro Gallese allowed the MLS side to secure a huge result.

The Lions will return home for the second leg full of confidence, not just because of the result but because star Tigres striker André-Pierre Gignac won’t be traveling to Florida for the game.

Gignac isn’t injured and he won’t be suspended — though he nearly was after being shown a first-half red card only for it to be changed to yellow after a VAR review.

Instead, the French striker won’t travel because he is unvaccinated against Covid-19. Current U.S. government rules state all air travelers who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents must be fully vaccinated before they enter the country.

Gignac also missed the 2022 MLS All-Star Game for the same reason — though this game, of course, counts.

Explaining his decision last year, Gignac said: “I want to clarify that I spoke with the board and asked them to respect this issue, which for me is a point of belief, education and something that comes from my childhood and my origin.

“I appreciate the support and respect for my decision on this issue, which is 100 percent personal.”

Gignac is joined by another high-profile anti-vax athlete who is set to miss out on competing in Florida this month: tennis star Novak Djokovic won’t be able to play in the Miami Open due to the same rule that will keep Gignac out.

Whether Gignac plans to petition Ron DeSantis remains to be seen.

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