Coming Up Around CONCACAF

Thus far, it has been a good week for home clubs as they went 6-1-1 in Champions League action and the two USSF Division-2 hosts came away with a win and a draw in midweek contests.

The action around CONCACAF this week continues with a light night Friday. Panama will be the hot spot with two of the four contests with a third in Mexico while rivals Montreal and Rochester square off in USSF Division-2.

All but one MLS contest falls on Saturday, which features the USL Second Division Championship between longtime rivals Richmond and Charleston at Blackbaud Stadium. Two MLS matches feature Top 15 sides in the TSB Power Rankings as Columbus hosts Dallas and Real Salt Lake visits Toronto. Fresh off their Champions League victory, Puerto Rico travels to Carolina in Saturday’s lone fixture in USSF-D2. South of the border, two match-ups of Top 10 clubs in the TSB Rankings meet. Tigres is on the road against Cruz Azul and Chivas Guadalajara hosts Pumas.

Two of the top three sides in USSF-D2 go toe-to-toe Sunday as Austin visits Vancouver. Leading scorer of the Clausura Herculez Gomez travels to face his former side as Pachuca meets Puebla in an interesting showdown Sunday.

FAS returns to action in El Salvador Sunday on the road against third-place Aguila with the coach vowing to make changes after the club’s 4-1 CCL defeat in Puerto Rico and winless (0-1-3) start to the league campaign. Sunday will also mark the first league game for Perez Zeledon under the interim management of Alexander Madrigal after Monday’s removal of Rafael Bautista.

The ‘weekend’s’ action wraps up with a couple extra games on Monday with one each in USSF-D2 and Costa Rica.

CCL Results – Home/Away (TSB ranking)

Tuesday: (53) Arabe Unido 1-0 Toronto FC (11)… (3) Santos Laguna 1-0 Columbus Crew (14) – Wednesday: (5) Cruz Azul 5-4 Real Salt Lake (6)… (27) Puerto Rico Islanders 4-1 FAS (73)… (29) Seattle Sounders 0-2 Monterrey (1) – Thursday: (15) Toluca 4-0 Olimpia (19)… (74) Saprissa 4-1 Marathon (22)… (54) Municipal 1-1 Joe Public (50)

League Results – Home/Away (TSB ranking)

Wednesday: (59) Carolina RailHawks 2-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies (81) – Thursday: (34) Austin Aztex 1-1 Portland Timbers (51)

COMING UP...

Friday, August 27

USSF Division-2: (40) Rochester Rhinos @ Montreal Impact (58)

Mexico: (7) Morelia @ Estudiantes Tecos (37)

Panama: (85) Chepo @ Atletico Veraguense (NR)… (76) Chorrillo @ Tauro (44)

Saturday, August 28

Major League Soccer: (2) FC Dallas @ Columbus Crew (14)… (6) Real Salt Lake @ Toronto FC (11)… (47) Philadelphia Union @ New England Revolution (39)… (20) San Jose Earthquakes @ New York Red Bulls (8)… (33) Houston Dynamo @ Colorado Rapids (23)… (35) Kansas City Wizards @ Los Angeles Galaxy (12)… (25) Chicago Fire @ Seattle Sounders (29)

USSF Division-2: (27) Puerto Rico Islanders @ Carolina RailHawks (59)

USL Second Division: FINAL - (64) Richmond Kickers @ Charleston Battery (52)

Mexico: (4) Tigres UANL @ Cruz Azul (5)… (31) Jaguares Chiapas @ Monterrey (1)… (32) Atlas @ Santos Laguna (3)… (9) Pumas UNAM @ Chivas Guadalajara (10)… (26) Atlante @ San Luis (24)

Costa Rica: (NR) Perez Zeledon @ San Carlos (67)… (90) Limon @ Alajuelense (13)

El Salvador: (88) Atletico Marte @ Vista Hermosa (78)… (NR) Atletico Balboa @ Firpo (62)… (92) Once Municipal @ Isidro Metapan (38)

Guatemala: (NR) Penarol La Mesilla @ Marquense (45)… (46) Comunicaciones @ Universidad San Carlos (NR)… (99) Suchitepequez @ Xinabajul (60)

Honduras: (42) Necaxa @ Hispano (95)… (22) Marathon @ Vida (NR)

Panama: (93) Plaza Amador @ Sporting San Miguelito (79)

Sunday, August 29

Major League Soccer: (56) DC United @ Chivas USA (41)

USSF Division-2: (82) AC St Louis @ Tampa Bay Rowdies (81)… (34) Austin Aztex @ Vancouver Whitecaps (36)

Mexico: (28) Queretaro @ Toluca (15)… (16) Pachuca @ Puebla (18)… (42) Necaxa @ America (17)

Costa Rica: (49) Herediano @ Cartagines (89)… (80) Puntarenas @ Santos de Guapiles (63)… (57) Brujas @ Saprissa (74)

El Salvador: (66) Aguila @ FAS (73)… (100) Universidad de El Salvador @ Alianza (61)

Guatemala: (65) Heredia @ Juventud Retalteca (72)… (75) Xelaju @ Municipal (54)… (71) Mictlan @ Malacateco (77)

Honduras: (19) Olimpia @ Deportes Savio (68)… (NR) Victoria @ Real Espana (70)… (43) Platense @ Motagua (30)

Panama: (NR) Alianza @ Arabe Unido (53)… (84) San Francisco @ Atletico Chiriqui (91)

Monday, August 30

USSF Division-2: (94) Crystal Palace Baltimore @ Portland Timbers (51)

Costa Rica: (48) Barrio Mexico @ Universidad de Costa Rica (NR)